


The Ultimate Wingman

by Luna_Vulpes



Series: The Ultimate Series [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender, klance - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Bilingual Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Cuban Lance (Voltron), Disney References, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Smut, Female Pidge | Katie Holt, Gay Keith (Voltron), Idiots in Love, Klance Week 2016, Korean Keith (Voltron), M/M, Mutual Pining, Slow Build, Slow Burn, finished work, klance, mutual idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2018-09-01 14:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 133,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8628367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luna_Vulpes/pseuds/Luna_Vulpes
Summary: Lance and Hunk have moved in to the new student apartments at Garrison University called The V at Garrison. Living on their floor, they meet and befriend their neighbors: Pidge, a child prodigy in robotics. Matt, Allura, and Shiro, life time friends with the boys watching over their siblings. And Keith, the anti-social boy who hates change.As time progresses, they all become friends and Lance finally finds someone to help him explore his bisexuality - his gay neighbor Keith.They strike a deal = Lance helps Keith find a social life while Keith becomes Lance's wingman, but what happens when both men realize that their deal has become more complicated than they expected.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello guys! This is Luna of luna_fox.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy the fanfic I worked hard on. 
> 
> FYI, yep, Lance is Cuban in this and all ideas for him and his family come from my personal experience of being a Cuban American raised in Miami, Fl... so I know what I'm talking about.
> 
> I hope you enjoy :)

“What do you mean the people across the hall are _actually_ moving out?” Keith brushed his long black bangs away from his face, trying to get a better look at Pidge, who'd completely ignored his outrageous behavior.

She kept to her computer, typing away some sort of code that seemed more like an alien language than anything Keith had ever seen before. He disliked having her not give him the attention he  _ rightfully _ deserved after she’d causally made an announcement that would change  _ everything _ about his living arrangements.

“The people across the hall finally decided to move out… even though they never actually moved in,” she picked up another piece of Pocky from a box and placed it to her lips, slowly inhaling it bite by tiny bite. 

“But why?!” Keith couldn't stand it. He had loved his neighbors. They were nice, kind, and, most importantly, never there. For college students, they always seeming to be traveling, never staying at their two bedroom apartment for more than a week. 

It made Keith happy. He never had to get to know them and they would leave an empty apartment for no one to disrupt him.

Out of the four apartments on his floor, it was nice to have one completely unoccupied, knowing it would never be rented out.

This changed everything. 

“What if they are mountain people who come and want to  _ get to know _ us southerns. I'm not even a southerner… I'm from Orlando! I know Disney world and palm trees! I don't want to explain for the fifth time that not everyone visits the damn mouse every weekend!”

“You're over reacting.” Pidge continued with her coding.

“Am I?! Maybe I should speak with Shiro, see if he’ll convince these people they still need their room for when they return from their trips.”

“Your brother won't do such a thing… plus, they’re moving out because they graduated. You don’t need a college apartment if you’ve already graduated college.”

“Graduate?! How is that possible?! They didn't even attend school.”

Pidge looked away from her screen to Keith. He was being ridiculous, but she had grown accustomed to his outrageousness. 

“Let it go… plus, who knows how long it will be until they find someone to take the room.”

Keith blankly stared at Pidge, “You know it won't take long. Garrison is one of the most popular universities within Tampa. There is no telling how long it will take for someone to rent the room.”

Pidge shook her head, “Why does it even bother you that much?”

“Because… I like things to stay the same… change sucks.”

“Change is a part of life, Keith,” Pidge returned her focus to the computer, “face it. Who knows, maybe it will be something positive.”

“Doubt it,” Keith crossed his arms and looked away, “I highly doubt it.”

#

Lance remembered his freshmen year of high school fondly. He had been nervous, not sure of what to think or to say.

“Just do it,” said his best friend Hunk, “you told me. You basically told the whole school…”

“To be fair,” he interrupted, “I never intended for anyone to find me in the locker room with Johnny Olsen.”

“You're lucky no teacher called your parents,” added Hunk.

“Yeah… but how do I tell them I'm bi… I mean, I come from a conservative Cuban household. I'm part of the first generation born in my family outside of the mainland! I doubt they will take it well.”

“I did.”

“You, my dear  _ hombre,  _ are an exception to the rule. Like many other things in this damn small town, you seem to be the only sane person.”

Hunk put his fingers beneath his chin, deep in thought, “Well, maybe you should just do it like removing a band aid, rip it off all at once.” He smacked Lance on the back, causing him to stumble forward a bit. “Plus; your family should take it rather well. Your aunt Martha is a lesbian after all.”

Lance whipped back to face Hunk in astonishment. “No she’s not!  _ Tia Martha  _ is an old, unmarried cat lady, but it's not because she's a lesbian.” 

Hunk shook his head on disagreement, “The fact I know more about your family speaks to how much time I waste with you all.”

“Shut up! You love spending time with my family!” Lance chuckled, wrapping his arm around Hunk’s neck and pulling him down for a head nudge. 

It still took Lance several days to finally tell his parents the truth, but - in Lance fashion - he did it during what could only be described as  _ el peor día del mondo -  _ the worst day ever. 

His family had gathered for dinner, but to Lance’s surprise it was more than just his siblings and parents.

They were all there - the  _ primos y primas, abuelo y abuela, tías y tios _ . All of the McClain/Rodriguez Cuban family. 

“What is everyone doing here?” asked Lance as he dropped his overnight bag from Hunk’s beside the front door.

“It’s  _ abuela’s  _ birthday… don't tell me you forgot?” said Natalie, his older sister by two years.

“I totally did…” Lance hung his head. His master plan - aka  _ The Presentation as to Why Being Bi is Fly  _ (copyrighted Hunk Garrett) - wasn't going to work if he had the whole family sitting in his house.

Especially not such an old fashioned thinking grandmother. 

It was hopeless. Soon everyone in the family would know as his final cent of money had already been forwarded to his three years older than him brother, Miguel’s bank account - bribe money ain't cheap.

He had lucked out with Natalie not telling their parents or other siblings, free of charge. He had to make sure his younger brother, by two years, Ricardo, didn't find out. If he did, the news would stay a secret for all but a grand total of two seconds.

At that moment, Lance made his decision: the master plan would go forward once everyone else had made their ways back home.

“ _ Hola Lance! _ ” said his Tia Martha. She approached him, large arms targeting is valuable body. She was loving and enduring. The only sibling of his mother who decided that the country life was also the way to live; she seemingly raised Lance and his siblings along with their parents. Out of his various aunts and uncles from both sides, Martha held a special place in Lance’s home.

“ _ Hola Tia _ … how many are here?” he wanted to go straight to the point.

“All of my brothers and sister, plus your  _ primos. _ ”

“All… eight?” Lance swallowed air. Eight siblings gathered in the large backyard patio hand build by Lance’s father when he was five. It was meant to host parties, large traditional Hispanic parties where everyone could get together in comfort.

There sat said eight siblings: his mother, Melly, aunts Martha, Alexia, Sophia, Jessica, and Lucia; plus the uncles, Joseph and Sebastian Jr. 

Running around were several of the younger cousins playing with Lance’s youngest sibling, three year old Armando - the not-so-accidental last child. The older cousins, those closer to Lance's age or those already in adulthood, hung around scattered about. Some were playing cards at a table and others played a mean game of domino. The beer flowed freely among those present.

Attempting to pick up a beer, his mother quickly snatched it out of his hand.

“What do you think you are doing?” her radiant, yet stern smile gleamed at her son.

“It's been a rough day.” He attempted to hide what he was thinking. Luckily for him, his mother wasn't completely paying attention.

“Rough day? You were at Hunk’s… how hard of a day could that be? Regardless, you still haven't greeted everyone. Not even a drop of soda until you do so.” His mother placed the beer back in the cooler and waited him to start the greetings.

Lance rolled his eyes and then his shoulders. It always took a bit of prepping. There was no way out of making  _ the rounds _ . 

He skipped Martha, already having been squeezed by her at the entrance to the house. There was a strategy to going about  _ the rounds _ . If you couldn't get it right, you might get stuck getting asked questions you weren't prepared for or don't want to answer. 

His plans: First, he made his way to his uncles. They were easy; asking only for a hug and a general question, “ _ Sobrino _ , how’s school? Any girlfriends?”

He replied. “Still trying my hardest,” that was a lie, “and the ladies wish they could have this,” he didn't realize that was also a lie. He gave them his usual obnoxious and egotistical wink and a smile before moving onto  _ phase two  _ of  _ the rounds. _

It was always the same; the ladies gathered together in a corner. Only the cousins who had children seemed to blend themselves within the group of aunts and his mother. They sounded like chirping Spanish birds, chipping away at the latest war family gossip. He had to be fast; any miscalculations could lead him into dangerous waters - aka sudden and unavoidable warfare like rapid fire of always too personal questions.

Lance looked to his mother, a partially fake smile across his face, “ _ Hola tías, _ I've missed you all so much!” He went in order of youngest to oldest. Starting with Jessica, he gave a tight hug and a quick cheek to cheek kiss. His attempts to keep moving as they each individually screeched in excitement, but not once did he say anything outside of, “ _ Hola!  _ You look amazing. Have you lost some weight? I know! I am getting so big!” 

It worked. Each time he kept schmoozing each of them - Jessica, Alexia, and Sophia. He got to skip Martha and his mother; although this mother gave him a quick squeeze of his arm, proud for always being so social and friendly with his family. 

Then, came the head sister; the oldest of the bunch - Lucia. If you could dodge Lucia, you were free.

He went about his way, body language reading that he had to be placed among the crowd, but wanting to greet his aunt. He got through the hug and the cheek to cheek kiss, but then she locked him in place, grabbing both his arms tightly in her hands.

“ _ Hiya,  _ Lance,” she always had the heaviest Cuban accent of the siblings, “you've grown up so much! Now you are in high school, which means it's time to start finding a wife.”

“A wife?” his mother, Melly, inquired. Lance tried to wiggle out of Lucia’s grip; he failed. Melly continued, “he's barely old enough to date!” 

“Doesn't Natalie have a boyfriend?” asked Alexia.

“Yes… and Miguel has a pretty serious girlfriend,” added Jessica.

“He’s been dating her since his freshmen year,” continued Martha, “they are both leaving for university next year after they graduate high school.”

Lance attempted to escape. Failure still a constant.

“Melly, you didn't tell me Miguel got accepted into a university!” shouted Sophia.

“Yes! He got a full scholarship to the military engineering department at Garrison University in Tampa. Him and his girlfriend are attending together under the same department,” answered Melly.

Lance tried to take a step back, but Lucia wouldn't let go.

Jessica clapped her hands together, “If that doesn't signal wedding bells, I don't know what!” 

“Yes…” Lance interrupted, still trying to escape, “we are all very proud of Miguel. Now can I please leave to finish greeting everyone?” He gave a smile.

“Oh,  _ perdona me. _ I didn't mean to hold you so long. Of course, spend time with your cousins… but remember, start looking for your wife. You never know where she might be…”

“Or husband…” a small voice echoed from behind the sisters.

They all jumped, startled by the sudden voice.

To their surprise they found Ricardo, leaning his chin on the railing on the patio. 

“What did you say?” asked Melly.

Lance panicked. There was no other way to react. How did Ricardo find out? Why was he telling all of the sisters? Did he not understand the death sentence he was writing of Lance? 

Lance could feel himself drowning, not sure what to do. He needed help, fast! 

“Nathalie! The  _ tias _ want to hear about your boyfriend! Didn't he ask you to homecoming recently?” 

“ _ Que? _ ” They all turned to their focus away from Ricardo. 

In a flash, Natalie found herself the center of her sister's attention, forced to gab about the details of how he’d asked and what she was going to wear. Her deep brown eyes felt like bright red laser beams targeting Lance. 

He smiled to her, begging for forgiveness as he yanked Ricardo away from the railing and to the opposite side of the patio. Tossing him against a tree, Lance head locked Ricardo.

“Who told you?” he squeezed harder, “spill or I’ll hurt you.”

“Miguel and Trish. I heard them talking about it the other day,” Ricardo laughed, finding the matter humorous, “really, making out in the locker rooms? Couldn't you pick a better place?”

Lance squeezed Ricardo’s neck even harder. “Can you lower your voice? I don't want anyone in the family to know.”

“Why? It's not like they’ll care. You could still end up with a girl. Being bi gives them a fifty/fifty chance of grandchildren,” Ricardo laughed again. He was returned with a head punch.

“Will you just shut up!” Lance’s patience was officially gone. He shoved Ricardo away from him, but quickly returned to point a finger at his nose, “look, I’m planning on telling  _ Mamí y Papí  _ soon… originally today, but I don't want to tell the whole family. Not until I tell our parents first. Can you please just keep it a secret for right now?” 

Ricardo didn't hesitate, “Yeah. I promise.”

Lance sighed in relief, “Thanks.”

Ricardo started to leave back to hang with his cousins, “Next time, keep your man to man make out session in a more private and  _ not school  _ location. I doubt our parents would be able to handle that phone call from the principal.” 

Lance grabbed a toy ball from the floor and threw it at Ricardo’s head - target achieved. 

Lance kept to himself for the most part. He spoke with a few of his cousins, reminiscing about the last family trip from the previous summer. He tried several times to sneak a beer, but his mother’s reflexes and ninja-like qualities always seemed to locate his whereabouts at all times.

It was admirably annoying.

Finally, after another hour, Lance’s father, Henry, appeared with Lance’s grandparents, Marie Luz and Guillermo Rodriguez.  

They all went wild, shouting  _ sorpresa  _ to Marie Luz. Lance beamed. He loved his grandparents, enjoying their stories of growing up in Cuban and how it used to be before Castro. He would fondly listen when Guillermo would go on his rants about Castro and the Cuban government while playing dominos and drinking beers. He would express how he could have governed the country and how he refuses to step foot on the island until it was free. Then, Lance would ask if he would move back and the topic would change to how amazing and great America has treated his family over the years.

The conversation had almost become scripted.

Marie Luz was different. The kindness of all the siblings were inherited from her, although none could seem to match her commanding and demanding demeanor. She may have been tiny and seemingly fragile, but she could easily lift Miguel over her shoulder (whom really is the only person in town larger than Hunk) and throw him over the ten acre McClain family farm.

The grandparents were a true testimony of their families struggles, coming to America from a grief stricken Cuban to give their children and their grandchildren a chance to live free.

Once everyone got a big kiss from  _ abuela y abuelo _ , Henry invited everyone to sit at the tables set up at the end of the patio for all of them to enjoy the meal Melly had been cooking for hours. 

It was a traditional Cuban affair: freshly cooked arroz con pollo with baked Cuban bread, fried plantains, and freshly sliced tomatoes with light salt, vinegar, and olive oil. The aroma filled the night sky as they joined hands in prayer before digging into the amazing meal.

The meal went as normal - Lance joked around with the two cousins closest to his age, Franky and Julia. Natalie would lean in and kick Lance from time to time, warning him to keep his mouth shut about the details between her relationship with Markus, her new boyfriend. 

No matter what, Lance knew she was never going to use the information she knew about him as collateral for keeping silent. Her news was simply annoying to discuss, too new for her to feel comfortable about disclosing information to the whole family. 

His news could change everything about how they see him.

Lance kept eating, fooling around with the younger kids who sat in front of him and, every so often dodging the questions about the young women in his grade. He did find plenty of women in his grade attractive and he had plans to ask Cindy Madison out to homecoming, but that didn't mean he didn't find the men attractive either - as noted by Johnny Olsen’s make out session in the locker room.

Still, in a small town such as Arcadia - or more like the outskirts of Arcadia - there weren't a lot of options for whom to date. 

Then, it happened. The moment of death. 

It happened slowly, but it was still unstoppable. Jessica’s lips seemed to move in slow motion as she asked the question that would led to Lance’s doom.

“So, Lance, who are you taking to homecoming?”

It couldn't be dodge. No amount of sarcasm and quick wit 101 training could help him. No amount of fast pace talking or rapid answering skills could stop the chaos that was coming his way. 

Lance had one weakness; one point in which he could never defeat.

Armando’s quick tongue.

“He’s gonna take his boyfriend,” the small child took a large bit of his bread before finishing, “there were kissing at school!”

Lance spit out his soda, covering the table cloth and the tomatoes served in front of him. The laughter of Miguel echoed behind as Natalie kicked Lance again, this time by accident from shock.

“What… What did you say, Armando?” asked abuela.

Lance prayed he’d correct himself, say anything but the same sentence or anything remotely close to that sentence. He tried again to speak, but the next phase of his weakness kicked in.

Panic.

He lost his ability to speak. The words, for once, not entering his brain. His body started to move without thought. First, he chugged water. Next, he grabbed Natalie’s arm and yanked her down to help him remember what breathing was like. Finally, without reason, he tried looking for the flash drive with the PowerPoint presentation in all of his pockets (it was located in his laptop bag, back at the entrance). 

Then, another breaking point happened, which felt like a stab through his heart. “Lance is going with his boyfriend,” repeated Armando.

Lance lost control of his flailing arms. Miguel laughed even louder.

“Lance,” said Melly, “ _ hijo _ , is this true? You have a boyfriend?”

Lance imagined for a moment what he would do if he could, in fact, Stop or control time. He’d reverse it, but not to the moment Armando spoke. No - back to the locker room, where he found himself alone with Johnny after a friendly game of basketball during PE. He wouldn't have said yes to Johnny’s inquiry over the small glances Lance kept sending him. 

They were curious, wanting to know if what both of them felt was legitimate. He never found out if Johnny figured it out, but it solidified what Lance had been feeling. 

He is Bi - no doubt about it.

Now, he was staring directly into his mother’s deep brown eyes, trying to figure out the words to say. A way to beg for forgiveness and to not be disowned by the family. 

He loved them. Even though he found them annoying from time to time and could go a few more days alone than he already had, there was no denying that he loved them and always wanted to be a part of their family.

“I… I…” his voice cracked, stuttering and shuffling through every word he possibly knew.

“Son… just say it,” said Henry, “tell us the truth.” His father leaned forward on the table, tilting towards him. 

Lance didn't know how to perceive it - either it was a threat or a sign of comfort.

Regardless, Lance kept panicking. 

“I don't have a boyfriend!” The words blurred out of his mouth, spilling out like a waterfall. He couldn't control himself. They just kept spilling, “I was caught making out with Johnny Olsen, however… but it's not what you think! We were curious. We were just trying to figure this whole thing out! He’s not my boyfriend, but I liked kissing him… I really liked it… but I want to ask Cindy Madison to homecoming because I still like girls! I like girls and boys! I like them both!” Lance hadn't realized that he bolted to his feet, slamming his palms in the table, “I'm Bi!”

There was a hush Lance couldn't comprehend. He felt all their eyes on him, analyzing him like a metal detector at the airport - the newer ones that gave a naked image of the person being scanned.

His mind forgot, once again, what words were.

“So…” started Jessica, “no boyfriend?”

“I think he clearly established that,” added Alexia.

“And no girlfriend either,” continued Jessica.

“No… are you not listening?!” complained Alexia.

“Then, which one are you asking, Johnny or Cindy?” asked Melly.

Lance stared blankly at his mother, “That’s it? That’s all you're going to ask me?” 

His panic easily turned into frustration.

“I'm curious as to which two you will take. It's nice to know you have options,” replied his mother.

“Options… options?! I just came out as Bi and all you're going to ask is which of the two I'm going to take?!”

“Were you expecting me to be shocked?” Melly laughed lightly, “Lance, you're my son… I had a feeling you were gay, well at least that you had some attraction to men since you were young. I mean, you used to make your GI Joe’s kiss in the bathtube.”

“ _ Si! Yo recuerdo eso!  _ He would do it all the time,” added his abuela.

“So I… I had nothing to worry about? I panicked for nothing?” He slowly sat back down.

“Why would you worry?” asked Henry, “you don't think we would disown you for being you… do you?”

“Your lack of faith in your family is so painful,” said Sebastian, pretending as if he was hit in the heart with a bullet, including hand gestures to signify blood splattering. 

“We love you, Lance,” comforted Melly. She reached for Henry’s hand as they both lovingly looked at their son, “Nothing can change that.”

“Unless whomever you pick to be with is completely wrong for you… then, we will have words,” added Henry.

Miguel’s laughter kept echoing behind them. 

“Can you stop now?!” asked Lance.

“No way! I knew this is how they would react, I mean  _ Tia Martha  _ is gay! Why wouldn't they accept you?” replied Miguel.

“No she’s not… right?!”

They all looked at Lance as if he had gone mad. His mind clouded by the eyes staring at him like a pride of lions ready to eat the antelope. 

“Lance… did you seriously not know that I'm a lesbian?” asked Martha.

“No! I thought you were some cat lady!”

“I don't even own any cats…” Martha shrugged.

“But… but…”

The siblings laughed, a louder chuckle coming from his grandparents.

“ _ Nieto _ , can we go back to what is important,” said Guillermo, “this meal and maybe some cake for dessert?” He looked to Melly with begging eyes.

Melly rolled her eyes, “Of course there is cake. We aren't savages!”

That was it. The topic was squashed as soon as it was brought up. Miguel eventually stopped laughing, after a few hits of encouragement from pieces of Cuban bread hitting him in the face, and the line of questions turned on him about asking Trish to marrying him. 

Lance couldn't remove the wicked smile off his face. 

There is was -  _ el peor día del mundo -  _ and he survived it without a scratch. He didn't know how, even now, six years later, it all seemed to easy.

He graduated from high school; a history of mixed girlfriends and one final chance with Johnny (it ended after a week when Johnny realized Lance was too much for him to handle). 

He always wanted to explore more; the side of him that was attracted to men, but his small town offered no options. Nothing and no one to explore his born sexuality with to its fullest potential.

He promised himself, college would be different. After two years in the local community college, he finally got accepted to Garrison University with his best friend Hunk. 

They were to follow in his brother’s footsteps and graduated with honors - or at least simply graduate.

This was his time - his time to become Lance, the Lance he knew he was inside and felt proud to be. This was his chance at something new and he wasn't going to waste it. 

“Hey Lance,” said Hunk clicking away at the computer, “these apartments look affordable and within our price range. It's even within walking distance of the university…”

Lance leaped behind him and grinned, “And the local on campus shops and bars!”

“You're not even twenty-one yet…”

“Um, there is a benefit to having an older brother who looks just like me.”

“Other than your hair, eye, and skin color, you look nothing alike.” Hunk shook his head and returned to reading the application details.

“Yes we do! I just have to convince them that I lost a few pounds.”

“You lost the weight of a whole person, is more like it.”

“Just shut up and fill out the application.”

Within minutes they submitted their application for  _ The V at Garrison. _

Lance knew right then and there - this was his chance.

#

“No!” cried Keith from the opposite side of his apartment door.

“I could easily open this door,” replied Shiro, “I have the spare key.” He turned back to his girlfriend, still holding Allura’s hand as she sighed in disbelief.

“I know you said that Keith could be a bit shy, but this isn't what I imagined,” she replied, her elegant and sophisticated English accent always seeming to contrast the appeal of the American city.

“He wasn't this bad when you moved in,” added Shiro. He raised his voice slightly, “which makes me wonder why this is even a problem to begin with!”

“It's a problem because I don't want to meet new people. I finally got used to the quiet! What if they are loud and obnoxious and don't know how to mind their business.”

“Keith… they are only going to be your neighbors. If you don't want to get to know them, you don't have to, but you should at least say hello once they arrive.”

Keith swung the door open, “You promise you won't make me  _ befriend  _ them?”

“Nope. I just want you to be courteous. Come on, even Pidge is leaving her black hole to be nice.”

“But Pidge IS nice… nicer than me at least.”

“Yet, years of friendship with the young prodigy has taught you nothing.”

Keith groaned, but he knew he had lost the battle. He had known since his first discussion with Pidge weeks before. There was no point in arguing. He added it to his list of topics and things he had no control over.

He disliked how long the list had gotten.

Before he moved forward, his cellphone’s text alarm rang.

_ <//> _

_ Pidge: Are you done acting like a baby?! Matt said we’re all grabbing some lunch. Hopefully before the new neighbors move in.  _

_ Keith: I'm out of my apartment… I'm following his lead. _

_ Pidge: FINALLY! Tacos?  _

_ Keith: Sure… am I really that much of a baby? _

_ Pidge: … _

_ Pidge: … _

_ Pidge: We’ll discuss this over lunch. _

_ <//> _

Keith rolled his eyes and put the phone back in his pocket, “Pidge says tacos.”

“Alright. Let's all head to campus and meet up,” replied Shiro, placing his arm around Allura. They both smiled at each other before sneaking a kiss as they led Keith away. 

Keith, though harboring a great deal of pride for his brother, could instead only showcase a look of disgust for the couple.

They reached the elevator door. As it swung open, there were two passengers already inside. Their faces were not familiar to Keith, but it didn't bother him. He made it a custom to not to learn the faces of those who live at  _ The V _ . 

Leaning against the elevator wall, Keith crossed his arms and couldn't help but take a small notice of the tall olive-skinned drink of water standing across from him. He glanced a little too long at the crooked smile brought about from a joke his larger friend had made.

It wasn't like Keith to stare, but it had been a while since he found someone legitimately attractive by first glance. 

Then it vanished, just as quickly as it appeared. 

“Hunk! Why are you teasing me? What floor are we supposed to be on? I'm tired to riding up and down in this thing!” 

The loud, cringing voice made Keith shiver, quaking his every bone. 

_ “Loud…” _ he thought. 

Hunk laughed, “Fine… floor number five. Room five-zero-four.”

Shiro and Allura looked to each other, another smile creeping up their face. Then, it disappeared the moment they notice Keith’s hand curling against his red jacket’s sleeve.

They silently spoke to each other as the door opened on the first floor - tacos first. Introductions laters.

Shiro and Allura slipped out of the elevator, keeping a few steps ahead of Keith to give him some space to think. Instead, Keith grumbled out before the door closed. 

He was not going to like his new neighbors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art Work:   
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:   
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)   
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna   
> 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luna: Here is chapter 2, hope you all enjoy. I ended up loving to write Pidge. How that happened, I don't know. But I'm thrilled about it.

“Do we really need to put that on the living room wall?” asked Hunk as he framed the last poster from the newest Star Wars movie.

“You have a problem with Spice World? It is a classically underrated movie about the best girl group in the world,” Lance shook his hips to the rhythm of “Wannabe” playing within his head. 

“Whatever you say, bro. I just think that’s better left in your room so people don’t think I like it too.” 

Lance darted a finger at Hunk, “Don’t you lie and say you don’t enjoy the fine music that is the Spice Girls or do I need to remind you of your first grade Halloween costume… Posh spice…” 

“Hey! I loved their music! I will always admit to that, but there is no way I am going to say the movie was any good. That is where I draw the line.” They both laughed as Lance took the framed poster into his own bedroom.

The front door to the apartment swung open. Miguel walked in, now twenty-three, with his wife, Trish. Ricardo wasn’t far behind, wearing his Space Jams basketball jersey as he sucked the last of the ICEE from his cup. 

“Food?” he asked, holding up a bag of burgers from Five Guys.

Hunk immediately drooled, snatching the bag from Ricardo's hands.

“So you guys have the furniture?” asked Lance, grabbing his burger before Hunk could steal it. 

“ _ Papi _ is opening the truck now,” replied Miguel. Before Lance could unwrap his burger, he grabbed Lance by the neck and pulled him into a bear hug, “God! So excited to finally have a sibling on campus! Natalie had to go and  betray the lineage I was starting to build and go off to University of Central Florida. That traitor.”

Lance replied with the little breath he could spare, “It’s not a lineage if you’re the first and only one to have attended Garrison.” 

Miguel shoved him away, “It could have been if she accepted the offer to attend!” He laughed. 

“ _ Tio!” _ A loud, squeaking, but adorable voice came hollering from the door. A small, three year old girl came running into the apartment, arms open as she jumped onto Lance’s back. He had prepared himself, balancing his burger in his hand as he used the other to hold her.

“Ginny, I’ve missed you so much!”

“ _ Tio _ , it’s only been two hours,” she giggled, hugging her uncle’s neck.

“Yeah, but before that I hadn’t seen you in weeks!”

“But now you live in my home… yay!” 

“Well,” Trish took her daughter off of Lance and held her up, “he has his own home. He’s just now in the same city.”

“Same thing!” she squeezed her mother’s cheeks before giving her a big kiss on the lips.

“Yeah,” he took a bit of his burger and spoke with his mouth full, “same thing!”

“Lance…” his mother, Melly, stepped in, “can we start to unload the truck. Both your father are done stretching and are ready to unload the couch.”

“I’ll go talk with my dad,” said Hunk, “give the old men some pointers on how not to further break their backs.” Hunk took another burger with him as he left the room, dragging Ricardo by the arm with him. 

“ _ Mami, _ ” shouted Armando, “I’m bored. When are we going back to the hotel?” 

“ _ Hijo _ , we need to help your brother unpack first, then you can play in the pool all day tomorrow before we leave.”

“Fine!” the eight year old said as he took another gulp of his soda. He found a corner of the room and sat down on the floor, pulling out his iPad to keep himself entertained while the rest went to work.

“Come on, guys, lets start getting some boxes and setting up the place,” suggested Lance.

One-by-one they each left the apartment, only Armando didn’t leave his corner as Ginny found herself crawling up beside him to watch.

Before the stepped out, Melly grabbed Lance’s arm and gave him a big hug. “Oh, my son is all grown up now. I never thought this day would come.” 

Lance heard his mother sniff back a tear. He embraced her, holding her tightly in his arms. The memories of the past few years flooded his mind. The kindness of his mother to Johnny and the many girlfriends they first met. The admiration when she surprised him to a day at Disney during Gay Days as a surprise high school senior trip. The cuddles at night watching Doctor Who and Star Trek, eating neverending bags of popcorn. The way she always included Hunk in all the family events, simply to please her son by always allowing his best friend near, and eventually treating him like her own son. It all came back with a sudden rush of sadness.

He had been so excited he had forgotten the one major thing that was about to change. He was going to lose his mother - not permanently, but enough that he knew she wouldn't be two doors down to the left sewing on her machine their latest costumes for the school and church plays. She wouldn’t be ready to comfort him after a bad nightmare, no matter that he was already twenty years old. 

None of it mattered - he was going to miss his  _ mami _ .

“Please don’t cry. You know I can’t handle tears, especially yours.” He tried to chuckle off the lump in his throat. 

“ _ Oy _ Lance, always trying to run from sadness.” She placed his hand on his cheek, tapping it lightly with her palm, “Never change.” 

They smiled before leaving and assisting the family with unpacking. 

After two hours of jokes, intense laughter, supervision serves provided by Melly, and plenty of heavy lifting by all, the moving was done. All that was left was removing the items from the boxes and organizing them throughout the apartment.

“This becomes more real by the second,” said Lance.

“Yeah… we are finally gonna have some independents,” replied Hunk. They fist bumped, proud of the friendship that they’d built over the last fifteen years of friendship. 

They heard a knock at the door. Melly dried her hands from washing the dishes and answered

“Hello,” she said.

Pidge stood at the front, waving at the glamorous, even though somewhat sweaty, mother. Matt, Shiro, and Allura stood to the back, all smiling a welcoming smile. Then, between them, stood Keith. His black bangs covering parts of his face and the grumpy look he kept trying to forcefully shake. His arms were crossed over his chest as he decided to take the lead of the others.

“Hello, ma’am. We are the other tenants of this floor and we wanted to greet our new neighbors,” said Shiro, “are you the young woman who will be staying here?” 

Allura gently nudged her elbow against Shiro’s side. It wasn't from jealousy, but from her secret enjoyment of knowing how to act around others and be pleasant and welcoming from the start.

Melly blushed at the comment from the handsome young man, “Oh - no, I'm one of their mother’s. Give me a moment and I'll get them… Lance. Hunk. Your new neighbors here here to greet you.”

Lance and Hunk shrugged at each other and made their way to the door. They smiled, seeing the welcoming group at the door. Melly stepped away to give them some time alone.

“Hey,” said Hunk, “I'm Hunk and this is my best friend Lance. We’re the two moving in.”

“It's nice to meet you,” said Allura, “we occupy the rooms within this floor. This is Shiro, my boyfriend and our roommate Matt.”

Matt and Shiro waved hello to the two boys. Allura placed a hand on Pidge’s shoulder, “This is Kate, Matt’s younger sister, but she prefers we all call her Pidge. She lives across from us.” Pidge gave a large smile, adjusting her glasses slightly.

“And this…” Allura paused, noticing that Keith hadn't even looked at them. Shiro gave him a nudge, “This is Keith, Shiro’s younger brother. He lives across from you all.”

Keith gave them a small head nod.

“Cool,” said Hunk, “it's really nice to meet you all.”

“You guys all seem close. Sorry if we break up any kind of relationship you guys have up here,” said Lance.

“Please,” replied Matt, “we may all know each other, but we've been wanting someone new to move in for a while.”

“Really?” asked Lance, “bad neighbors?”

“No,” said Pidge, “more like nonexistent. They were never here.”

“It was peaceful…” whispered Keith under his breath. Shiro replied with a gentle, but firm kick to the back of his foot. 

Keith grumbled.

Lance finally noticed the shrugged look of Keith. He was closed off, not wanting to make any eye contact or even be present at the doorstep. It made Lance curious, wanting to know more about  _ the unwelcoming boy _ . “Do you all want to come in? It's still messy as we are unpacking the boxes, but the couch and tv are set up,” asked Lance.

They all smile, except for Keith. “We don't want to be a bother,” said Allura, simply being polite.

“No, come on in,” replied Hunk. 

They all stepped in; Keith with some physical encouragement from Shiro and Matt. Once the door closed, Keith knew it was too late. There was no way he was going to leave this apartment without the others.

He may have disliked being around strangers but he knew better than to be rude.

Lance and Hunk went around the room introducing everyone to their new neighbors. It wasn't until they reached Miguel and Trish that something shifted.

“Professor Shiro?” asked Miguel.

“I keep telling you all, I'm not a professor. I teach the engineering class as part of my master’s degree,” he replied. Regardless, Shiro and Miguel shook hands. “Is this your daughter?” asked Shiro.

“Yes. This is Ginny.” Miguel asked for Ginny to approach. The warm smile and welcoming glow of Shiro made it easy for the young girl to approach.

“Wait? You guys know each other?” asked Lance.

“Know each other?” sarcastically replied Trish, “Shiro and I are in the same master’s program. Part of his internship is teaching the engineering class that Miguel takes.”

“You can say we’re pretty familiar with each other. It's nice to see you again Allura. Matt!” Miguel went around Shiro and picked Matt up into a bear hug. Based on Matt’s face, this was a common greeting, “Why didn't you tell me Shiro is your roommate?”

“Cause, there is no point of telling the class you live with your teacher,” his voice cracked from the bone crushing hug, “don't tell anyone.”

Miguel put Matt down, “I won't.”

“Hold on! So all of you know each other? How much of a coincidence is this?” asked Lance.

“A bit,” answered Shiro, Miguel, Matt, and Trish in unison.

It was obvious they spend more time together than they were letting on.

Melly welcomed the guests to sit anywhere within the apartment. Shiro, Allura, and Matt took a seat with Trish, Miguel, and Ginny on the dining table. 

Keith grumbled again, shifting where he stood. He felt his phone buzz, finding it weird as the only people who would text him were all present in the room.

<\\\>

_ Pidge: CAN YOU REMOVE THAT DAMN STUPID LOOK ON YOUR FACE ALREADY?!  _

_ <\\\> _

Keith rolled his eyes and looked to Pidge. She had plopped herself beside Armando, showing him a few tricked to hacking his tablet to get free game apps without getting caught. 

<\\\>

_ Keith: I wanna leave. We said hello, why are we hanging out. _

_ Pidge: ARE YOU SERIOUSLY THAT HORRIBLE OF A PERSON?! God, you can't be a mole man forever. Why are you so closed off to meeting new people. _

_ Keith: cause I don't need new people in my life. _

_ Pidge: that's what you said when you met me, yet here we are, five years later… Keith, I know what this is really about. Haven't you gotten over it yet? I think it's time to start growing up a little. _

<\\\>

Keith sighed to himself, for the first time relaxing his face and moving his bangs away from his eyes. 

She was right… she was always right and Keith hated it.

This was his stubbornness. The need to always be in control and do what would keep him safest or, at least, what he believed was safest. 

His mind always went to survival, even though that part of his life hadn't been so for five years.

<\\\>

_ Keith: fine… what should I do? _

_ Pidge: just follow my lead. :)  _

<\\\>

Pidge finished up with Armando and bounced back to her feet. “So, Hunk, Lance, what year are you guys?” 

Lance and Hunk peaked out from the last box labeled living room, placing the stack of video game limited edition guides on the coffee table.

“We’re both juniors,” answered Lance.

“Awesome,” Pidge smacked Keith in the arm, “so are Keith and I. What career course?”

“I'm in robotics and electronic studies,” replied Hunk.

“No way! So am I!” said Pidge, “I've been on this campus since my freshmen year, I know all the good professors. You’ll have to let me look over your classes and make sure you're getting the best for your buck!”

“That’s awesome!” Hunk offered Pidge a fist bump and she happily returned the gesture. He could sense that the little tomboy standing in front of him would be his lab partner for many projects.

“How about you?” asked Pidge to Lance.

“Aviation major,” replied Lance.

Keith winced. There was no way. It was impossible. The madness of all the coincidences in one meeting was getting outrageous. He needed an escape, trying to be friendly was now becoming a burden.

“Seriously,” Pidge lightly chuckled, “That’s Keith's major! I'll check out your schedule too. Make sure you get the better professors.”

Keith rolled his eyes again, “If you’d like, I can see about getting you all my same classes. I've signed up for all the top rated classes for the fall.” He didn't know why he had said it. Maybe his mind was trying to give  _ being nice  _ a try. Perhaps he realized the advantage of take similar classes with someone so near, that way study groups were always with the same person instead of having to run around with different groups for different classes.

Or maybe it was because of the glimmer in Lance’s eyes the moment he heard Pidge say they shared the same major.

“That would be stellar! We can be study buddies, would sure make my life easier,” said Lance.

“Wow, who knew that by coming here, each of us would find the perfect major partners,” said Pidge, nudging Keith’s arm.

“Yeah…” he replied, slightly uncertain with the situation he put himself in.

“I hate to interrupt,” said Melly, “but I think we need to get going back to our hotel.” 

Lance’s face saddened, not ready to let his family go. 

“Yeah, I think it's time we left too. Ginny’s gonna need to start getting ready for bed,” said Miguel.

Lance’s face saddened even more.

They all started to gather at the door, Shiro, Allura, and Matt also following. Keith took this as his way out. Finally, he could go back to his studio apartment across the hall and return to the comfort of being alone.

Then, he felt Pidge loop her arm around his own, “Keith and I are gonna stay a bit longer.”

Keith panicked.

She continued, “If you guys don't mind. Figured we’d take care of fixing those schedules.”

“That sounds great,” said Hunk.

“Sure,” smiled Lance, “maybe I'll order us some pizza and we can play Cards Against Humanity.” 

“Aw - babe, can I stay now?” asked Miguel.

“No! You're a father now. No more college nights, even with your brother.”

Miguel grunted, “Fine! But I'll come over one day to play.” He gave a stern - but no one would actually take it serious - look to Lance.

Just before they closed the door, Lance and Hunk lingered in the doorway. Hunk grabbed a hold of his father, giving him a warm and hearty hug that seemed to last forever.

Lance did the same with his parents. The warmth of their hugs almost caused him to cry. He was their son; their middle child, but he would always be the little sarcastic, egotistical, bundle of joy they had raised. 

“ _ Te quiero… _ ” he whispered.

“ _ Te queremos tambien _ ,” whispered back Melly.

They left. Lance held the door open until they saw them disappear into the elevator.

For a moment, Keith watched Lance. The gloom striking his features was not something he knew personal. Keith had parents and a brother, but it wasn't the same.

That wasn't his own reaction when he moved out two years ago though.

He couldn't relate, but that face brought back a different memory he didn't want remember. Not now, anyway.

“Let’s look at those schedules!” said Pidge, trying to shift the mood.

Lance and Hunk agreed. Hunk went to his room and dug out his laptop. It took them a minute to realize they hadn't connected to the official wifi of the house, which led to Pidge doing the work of making the all connections with Hunk’s assistance.

It left Keith in an awkward position. He didn't know quiet what to do. He watched Lance, going about his business and getting everyone soda and putting clean dishes away in the cabinets. 

<\\\>

_ Pidge: Be friendly! Just help out! _

<\\\>

Keith put the phone back in his pocket as he sighed. He strolled to the small kitchen, just enough for two college students to keep some basic foods and cook simple, but real meals. He watched Lance pull up a stool to reach the high shelfs and then balance a large stack of plates in one hand.

“Need help?” Keith’s voice was low, not completely sure if it was audible.

“Yeah,” Lance stretched down, “that would be great. Hand me those plates.”

Keith did as he was told, “why are you putting these plates so out of reach?”

“These are the extra plates for when family visits. My  _ Mamí  _ insisted I have nicer plates for when she came over… it's a weird thing she does. Hunk and I have some plainer ones for everyday.”

Keith kept passing him the plates and then proceeded to the matching cups and bowls. “Your mother seems nice.” He kept trying to have a conversation.

“She’s the best. She can be a little crazy at times, but what Hispanic woman isn't?” He laughed, “there…” Lance stepped down from the stool. Once on the floor, he stretched his arms upward, allowing a peek at the skin of his stomach.

Keith glanced but quickly averted his gaze. Lance spoke, “How are your parents?”

“They're  _ alright _ ,” Keith really didn't want to speak of the matter, “regular parents, I suppose.”

Lance chuckled, “Must have been strict.” He handed Keith a can of soda and grabbed three more.

Keith took the cold drink and sipped it immediately, “You could say that.”

Lance walked back to the living room to find Pidge and Hunk already on the laptop changing Hunk’s schedule.

“Dude! You have to see this! Pidge hacked into the school mainframe and added me to a full class without it registering as an error! She’s amazing!” said Hunk, “did you know she’s only eighteen?”

“And a junior?!” asked Lance, taking a seat on the couch but leaving enough room for Keith.

“She graduated early,” replied Keith, taking a seat.

Lance looked between Keith and Pidge. Something about the way Keith suddenly had a proud smile of his face when mentioning Pidge made him accidentally grin.

Keith had a nice smile.

“Its nothing special,” she said, still hacking away at the computer.

“Whatever. You always say that,” Keith punched Pidge’s shoulder lightly.

“There, just finished Hunk’s schedule. Here Lance, log in so I can take a look at yours.” She handed Lance the laptop and simultaneously pulled out her cellphone. Before he could finish logging in, she has logged into Keith’s school account and opened up his schedule. 

Keith shook his head, “Maybe one day I'll have a password and username you won't know.”

“Impossible!” she laughed devilishly.

“Beware,” said Keith as Lance handed her the laptop, “don't get to close to her. She’ll steal all your information and use it as blackmail.”

Lance laughed, “So she uses her power for evil… I like you Pidge.”

Her glasses, for a second, seemed to cloud in a white fog as she grinned wickedly. She went straight to work, changing the schedule to match Keith’s perfectly. Once she was done, she handed Lance’s laptop back, “There, now you have every class with Keith.”

“Every… class…” Keith whispered.

He wouldn't admit it, but so far the loud person he saw in the elevator didn't seem so bad, but he wasn't sure he wanted to spend every waking minute of the school day with him.

“It’ll be cool! At least you’ll know someone and you can help me get to know the campus more,” Lance said, offhandedly.

Keith noticed how easy going and casual Lance was towards him. They had known each other for all of barely three hours, yet he was so open to spending almost every day with him at school. He didn't bother him. No second thought to his new schedule or allowing someone to change everything he had previously planned.

It perplexed Keith, none of it making any sense.

“Oh man! Have you guys taken the campus tour already?” asked Pidge.

“Yeah… it was super boring, although the selection of food on campus was a nice thing to see,” said Hunk.

“That tour sucks! You need to see the details of the areas you'll be spending most of your time,” said Pidge, “we don't start class until Tuesday, why don't I show you around Monday?”

“That would be great, right after I buy my books,” said Hunk.

“No way! Don't do that. I have digital copies of all the textbooks,” replied Pidge, “I can give you a copy and save you a ton of money. Same for you Lance. I get Keith’s books every semester.”

“Where were you while we were stuck in community college,” said Lance with a raised eyebrows and a friendly hand on Pidge’s shoulder, “let’s celebrate with some food and games!” Lance stood, grabbing his cellphone to call for pizza.

Keith sunk further into his seat when he felt his phone buzz.

<\\\>

_ Pidge: you should ask Lance if he wants a tour. _

_ Keith: I'm starting to think your pushing for something more than me making friends… you've never been this persistent before.  _

_ Pidge: Actually, I wasn't… but I am now! You think Lance is gay? _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: I don't know… it wouldn't matter anyway. Not interested. _

_ Pidge: LIAR!  _

_ Keith: NOT LYING!  _

_ Pidge: Only because my REAL objective is to actually make a few new friends that conveniently live near us, I'm not going to push it (for now…), I just like these guys! They seem really sweet and cool to hang out with. Plus, you know I don't get along with anyone in any of my classes because of my over achieving brain… Hunk and Lance haven't treated me any different even after learning I'm super ahead… come on, Keith… for me?  _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: You’re lucky I love you so much. _

_ Pidge: <3 _

_ <\\\> _

“Hey… Lance,” Keith stood up and walked to the kitchen, where Lance hung up the phone after ordering them their food, “um, if you’d like, i can show you around Monday morning before our first class at noon.”

“Sure,” Lance flashed Keith a huge smile. He hadn't expected to meet such nice people so quickly at school.

He saw it as a ray of light shining at the end of deep, dark cave.

“Cool… we can meet out in the hall, between our doors at 9:30. The shuttles can sometimes get full in the morning.”

“Okay. Sounds perfect… thanks a lot, Keith. You and Pidge… well everyone has been really nice. We’ve only been here a few hours and you all have been really cool.” Lance beamed. His smile genuine and grateful.

It surprised Keith to see him so happy about strangers coming to say hello, but what surprised him more was the weird warmth it left his chest.

“Come on, I'll set up the card game while we wait for the pizza.” Lance tapped Keith on the back of his shoulder. The gesture seemed basic, nothing out of the ordinary for two friends.

But Keith had only just met Lance. He did not consider Lance a friend, but it felt as if they had been for so long.

Keith couldn't comprehend it.

He didn't leave the kitchen, standing still, watching as Lance and Hunk set up the game and Pidge cleaned out the computers. It appeared normal, as if this had been a weekly ritual for them. 

He didn't know why he smiled - hope, longing, surprise, admiration, yearning - he didn't know, but what he did know is that Pidge was right.

Maybe it was time for them to make some new friends.

<\\\>

_ Pidge: I saw that face…  _

_ Keith: Pidge, it's midnight and I have to meet Lance in the morning… you know I like to be well rested. _

_ Pidge: So you are not denying that face? _

_ Keith: what face?  _

_ Pidge: the one that you only let slip like twice a year. The one of you having fun.  _

_ Keith: call it sleep deprivation, but I'll admit it. I had fun. _

_ Pidge: see? Was it so hard to open up and make some new friends? _

_ Keith: yes. _

_ Pidge: You're ridiculous.  _

_ Keith: Good night, Pidge.  _

_ <\\\> _

_ Shiro: Is it true or did Pidge make another fake screenshot? _

_ Keith: Why can't I sleep?!  _

_ Shiro: answer me first and then I'll let you sleep. _

_ Keith: yes _

_ Shiro: you're making FRIENDS?! I'm so proud of you. _

_ Keith: I'm not five, you can stop treating me this way. _

_ Shiro: I'm your older brother. I have the right to worry. I'm glad you finally opened up to someone. Now keep it up.  _

_ Shiro: Good night, Keith. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: Good night, bro. _

_ <\\\> _

_ Hunk: Are you sleeping? _

_ Lance: No… I miss my Mamí y Papí!  _

_ Hunk: I miss my dad too… good to know I'm not alone. _

_ Lance: Yeah… we’ll be fine. We should get used to this. _

_ Hunk: I hope so. _

_ Hunk: Our neighbors seems awesome. I really like Pidge and Keith. _

_ Lance: agreed! They are great additions to the lion pride! _

_ Hunk: Are we still seriously calling our group name the lion pride? _

_ Lance: ALWAYS!  _

_ Hunk: I recommend you don’t tell them that for a while… don't want to lose new friends so quickly. _

_ Lance: if they don't like it, then they don't deserve our friendship. :x _

_ Hunk: -_- _

_ Hunk: I'm going to blame you if they move out.  _

_ Lance: I'll wave that blame flag with pride.. like a lion pride. _

_ Hunk: Good night, Lance. _

_ Lance: Good night, lion cub!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is next Sunday! See you all soon :)
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoy chapter 3! Thanks so much for the Kudos. You guys are amazing. Hope you enjoy. - Luna

Keith waited. He arrived early, maybe a little too early. He leaned against his door, waiting for Lance to step out of his apartment. He didn't know why he was so nervous.

They all had such a good time the day before. The card games were fun and so were the rounds of Mario Party afterward.

Pidge was right, Keith hadn't had so much fun in such a long time, especially with people he had only met.

But this was different. He wouldn't have Pidge to nudge him in the right direction. He wouldn't have someone to fall back on during awkward silences. Worst of all, he was responsible for all the small events throughout the process and he didn't know if he could handle it. 

Keith was far from being an expert at friendship making.

Finally, right at 9:30, Lance stepped out of his apartment. His face seemed to glimmer with perfection; not so much from Keith’s perspective, but from the odd morning glow that no natural human being should ever have. 

It made Keith regret not even to run a comb through his own hair. He was proud of himself for just putting on jeans instead of staying in his sweatpants or joggers.

Sitting atop Lance’s head were a pair of sunglasses. He wore hem ripped shorts just at the knee with a blue and white striped tank top. Around his waist was a forest green jacket with a white hood. His white sailor shoes completed the outfit along with a laptop bag filled with patches from various anime and cartoon television shows. 

“Good morning,” he said, a little to peppy for Keith’s taste. 

“Morning,” Keith pushed himself off the door. 

After locking up, Lance noticed Keith’s casual look. A pair of skinny black jeans, a red button down, sleeves rolled up, with a black undershirt and black boots. He sported a black backpack with a UFO keychain hanging from one of the zippers. 

Lance was impressed by the styling of Keith’s hair - a morning mullet normally would look hideous on anyone, but it seemed to frame Keith’s face perfectly.

“You hungry?” asked Lance, “I could really use a quick bite. We’ll have no food in our fridge until later tonight. Couldn't even make my traditional Cuban espresso this morning.” 

“Um… sure… there is a Starbucks in the aviation building we can visit,” replied Keith, making their way to the elevator.

“Perfect,” Lance’s face over dramatized his need for coffee.

They entered the elevator and kept quiet. Lance looked to his smartphone as a smile crossed his face. It gleamed, appearing like fairy dust in the night sky. 

Keith wondered what made him so happy, but he didn't want to pry. Once the elevator released them on the first floor, they walked out. Lance kept a slight step behind Keith, following him without question.

When they reached the shuttle stop outside the complex, Lance realized what Keith had mentioned. It was jam packed with students, all listening to their own music, talking with friends, or playing games on handheld devices. 

College life.

“Are we all gonna fit?” asked Lance.

“Yeah. We luck out that we’re the first stop on the way to campus, but always give yourself some extra time, just in cases. Especially come exam season. You’ll see less people after the first two weeks,” replied Keith.

Lance mentally noted Keith’s words and took out his phone again. The same smile crossed his face.

Trying to not feel left behind, Keith pulled out his phone, checking his emails and fiddling with another round of Bubble Witch. 

Lance gleefully kept texting away at his phone until the shuttle arrived fifteen minutes later. Keith had to nudge Lance’s shoulder to get him to shuffle his way through the crowd. Luckily once inside they were able to nab two seats near the windows.

Keith sat by the window. He enjoyed it, watching the trees pass as the shuttle drove on, seeing the people go about their business and living their lives. It calmed him, a peace he needed before and after a long day of school work. 

He felt his body be shoved lightly as Lance was shoved against him. Lance’s finger grazed against Keith’s thigh as Lance responded with a heavy Cuban accent, “ _ Oy…”  _

The person who shoved him apologized, but it was clear that fitting so many students onto one shuttle was going to require everyone to get over having any personal space.

They were sardines - no sardines at least had some liquid floating between them.

“Let me guess, this is normal?” asked Lance.

“Pretty much,” Keith grinned. Lance blinked several times. 

There it was again - that subconscious grin of Keith’s that Lance already knew was a rare sight.

Lance’s phone buzzed again.

Keith’s curiosity was getting worse but before he could speak, Lance said, “Look at your phone.”

“What - why?”

Lance turned his screen to Keith’s face, “Pidge asked me to tell you.”

Keith’s grin vanished as he rolled his eyes and reached for his phone. He seemed to have forgotten it was off. An attempt at not getting any more text while he slept. 

<\\\>

_ Pidge: good morning! Be nice to Lance this morning. Don't ruin this!  _

_ Pidge: Did you oversleep?!  _

_ Pidge: I'm starting to worry! Are you not going to meet up with him? _

_ Pidge: Answer me!  _

_ Pidge: DAMN IT KEITH, ANSWER!  _

_ Pidge: I'm gonna text Lance! I got his number last night… _

_ Pidge: I swear I'm gonna do it. _

_ Pidge: You left me no choice. _

_ Keith: I got the message. _

_ Pidge: FINALLY! At least now I know you met up with Lance. _

_ Keith: I'm not a heathen. I keep my promises. Plus, how could I avoid him, you gave me every class with him. _

_ Pidge: Now you know why I did. _

_ Keith: What is it you want. You know the shuttle doesn't leave enough room to text comfortably. _

_ Pidge: Just wanted to make sure you didn't bail on Lance. _

_ Keith: Well, I didn't. Am I good to be left alone now? _

_ Pidge: Why? I'm a blocking something ;)  _

_ Keith: NO! I would just appreciate being treated like an adult. I can handle showing someone around a building. _

_ Pidge: lol, can you? Alright, I'll leave you alone. Dinner?  _

_ Keith: Yeah. See you later. _

_ <\\\> _

Keith put his phone away and saw that Lance had been looking through a small notebook in his hands.

“Confused about something?” asked Keith.

“Oh - no, just reading my schedule. I wrote it down on my travel notebook. What’s our stop?”

“Stop A-13. The library stop. Our building is behind it.” 

“Okay,” Lance wrote it down and then kept watch outside the window.

Lance seemed anxious, but not the nervous kind. The kind a kid feels waiting to meet Santa for the first time. This was his freedom, his chance at being independent outside of his small town.

“I'm excited,” he admitted, “I know it's dumb, but where I come from my graduating class was fifty kids, so you can image how it might feel being in a bigger city like Tampa.”

“Yeah, I guess,” replied Keith, shrugging his shoulders.

“How about you? Where are you from?”

“Here.”

“World class traveler.” Lance laughed.

“I got a grant if I stayed at a Florida school. Figured, I'd attend near my brother.”

“I guess that makes sense. I picked Garrison thanks to what my brother said.”

“He seems cool. Your whole family seems nice.”

“That's not even close to being my whole family, but, yeah… they’re all awesome.” Lance showcased the same smile from the elevator.

Keith averted his eyes and noticed the upcoming stop, “This is us.”

They stood up, dodging around the crowded bus to the exit. Once out, Lance took a deep breath.

He loved every second of it. The fresh scent of car fumes and various human odors. The look of overcrowded buildings and the bustling of students holding cups of coffee or handheld devices. This was a city - a place filled with lives happening all around him. A place he could be himself and not be stuck under the watchful eye of a neighbor that knows way too much about his life without him wanting it to be. 

Keith kept walking, not noticing Lance’s moment of observation. Luckily, Lance spaced back in and ran to catch up with Keith.

“Coffee first, tour second?” he asked.

“Sure,” replied Keith. 

Keith led him to a building located at the back of the library. They all appeared the same from the outside - tall gray buildings with hints of orange painted to accent the school’s colors. Each building labeled by their field of study. Once inside, the halls were freezing cold, which made Lance grateful that he remembered to bring a sweater. Hung up on the ceiling were several large scale model planes throughout history. He noted some of his favorites - models of Leonardo Da Vinci's sketches, a copy of the first plane to take flight, and Amelia Earhart's plane from her trip across the atlantic. 

Lance looked like a kid in a candy store, wanting to learn everything the building could offer him. He fell behind Keith again, who appeared unfazed by the glamor of the room. He beelined it to the Starbucks, not wasting a single stride towards his destination.

“Don’t you ever stop and smell the roses?” asked Lance as they found the line inside the coffee shop located to the back corner of the first floor. 

“Sorry… Pidge says I tend to be overly focused. You said coffee, so this is where I went,” replied Keith.

“Weirdo.” 

Keith winced at the response. 

Once they reached the counter, they both ordered their coffees individually. Keith was shocked by Lance’s order - a Pike’s Place with room for cream and sugar. It was so plain, nothing elaborate or special about it. Taking his Venti Iced Green Tea, he made his way over to Lance, who was busy prepping his coffee.

“I’m surprised…” Keith attempted at a conversation.

“About what?” replied Lance, stirring only two packets of sugar into his large cup.

“I figured you for a frap kind of person or someone who's crazy order takes over five minutes to say.”

“Really? I seem that overly crazed. Naw… I love coffee. Real coffee. I prefer it as black as possible. Very little cream and sugar. People who don’t enjoy the rich flavors of the bean aren’t really coffee lovers. I’ll make you some real coffee once my kitchen is set up. Trust me, I won’t be making a lot of Starbuck visits in the morning.”

“The infinite last words of a naive college student.”

Lance laughed. Keith sipped his green tea, trying to avoid the stupid shocked look on his face. He never made anyone laugh just by something he said - well, Pidge, Shiro, Matt, and Allura not counting, but he always felt they were laughing at him, not with him.

Lance kept laughing until they stepped out of the Starbuck. Taking a large inhale of the rich coffee scent; he could feel the caffeine already doing its work even though he hadn’t taken a single sip.

“Where to now?” he asked after taking a long and luxurious taste of his perfectly blended coffee with cream and sugar.

“I guess I just, show you around… wanna see the computer lab first?” Keith felt oddly nervous, not really sure what he was suppose to be doing. 

“Okay. You’re the one giving the tour.” Lance shrugged his shoulders, waiting.

It felt daunting to Keith. Only now did he realize how much was left for him to plan their events -  he knew, he just didn’t really know how. He walked towards the elevator, using his excuse of drinking his tea for not really speaking. Once they were inside, he pushed the button for the fourth floor. The rush of students in and out of the elevator almost made Lance lose sight of Keith. As the third floor door closed, he reached over to Keith’s backpack and yanked him back.

“Seriously, does no one in college have any manners,” he joked. 

Keith, however; turned a different shade of pink. Not since realizing he liked Chuck Barson’s body in the locker rooms his sophomore year of high school did he automatically blush from something another person inadvertently did too close in proximity to him. “Yeah…” he stumbled at his words, cursing himself between each stutter, “they can all be a bunch of animals.” 

The door dinged for the fourth floor. Keith sprinted out, not realizing Lance still had his hand looped into the hook of his backpack. 

“Why are you in such a rush?” asked Lance, pleased that the sudden shift in speed didn’t spill a drop of his coffee, “I wasn’t planning on going for a horse ride today.” 

Keith exhaled, not having heard Lance’s comment.  _ “What is going on with me?! I’m never this uncollected. I know better than to let some small action cause such a loss of brain functionality. I’m just nervous about trying to impress him… it’s for Pidge… I’m doing this for my friendship.”  _

“This way,” he murmured. Keith kept moving down the halls, racing towards the large double door at the end. He opened them, showing Lance a large room filled with computers. There must have been a hundred of several different variations. It was packed with students already doing their online course.

“Impressive… what’s next?” Lance took another sip of his coffee. 

“Next? You don’t want to spend sometime here?” 

“Why? I have a feeling I’m going to be here a lot in the future. At least I know its location.”

“Oh - um… maybe the different classrooms?” Keith didn’t really know where to go next. The building was mostly classrooms and the most interesting room was locked away to students unless it was your class period to be there. 

“Sure. I can figure out where all my classes are now instead of running around later.” 

“You would have never run around,” Keith started to leave the room, “we have all the same classes, remember?”

“Ha - I forgot. Still, show me around the different halls. We still have an hour before our first class.” 

Keith did as he was told and started taking Lance through the different halls throughout the building. He learned that even though Keith was only now a junior, during his freshman and sophomore years he would come to the aviation building to study as a way to encourage him to reach his goal of finally studying his future craft. 

“I  _ lack motivation,  _ as Shiro tells me often, but when I’m sitting somewhere in this building I just want to keep going. I want to reach the skies and never look back,” said Keith as they reached the end of their tour with fifteen minutes to spear. 

“That’s pretty deep for a person who seems so closed off.” Lance noticed a bulletin board to the rear and walked towards it.

“I do?” asked Keith. He knew better, having been told this fact several times by several people in his past. There really wasn’t a point in getting an answer, but he was curious to Lance’s thoughts since they had known each other for less than twenty-four hours. 

He stood beside Lance as he let his eyes wander around all the different flyers against the wall. “Dude, we’ve been hanging out all morning and there have been more silences than words spoken. You’re lucky I appreciate silence and don’t complain, but it's obvious your mind lives in space… or as you said, in the skies.” 

Lance pulled at a flyer, a grin crossing his face. “This sounds interesting.” He looked down and pocketed the paper.

“What does?” asked Keith as he tried to see what Lance had pulled out. He failed.

Luckily, Lance was an open book, “Figured I'd look at special events throughout the campus.”

“What event did you find?”

“An LGBT Event at a nightclub nearby. Sounds interesting.”

“LGBT…” Keith’s mind snapped. His head couldn't comprehend the words that came out of Lance’s mouth. 

“You got a problem with that?” Lance took a subconscious step back.

“No! Oh god - no!” Keith sounded too defensive, but Lance noticed his nervousness and insecurities. 

Lance raised an eyebrow, “Okay… so are you just curious about  _ me _ ?” 

“Um… yeah, I guess. I mean, you just said you'd like to go.”

Lance laughed, “I'm bisexual.”

“Oh - cool.”

“That’s it,” Lance looked at him curiously, “after all that jittering, that's all you'll say?”

“Um… yeah…” Keith started to shakingly take out his phone from his pocket. He looked at the time - fifteen minutes until class. He had an out to this conversation.

“Is everything alright? I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…”

“No. You didn't! It's just, class is in fifteen minutes, we should go.” 

“Oh - okay. Let's go then…” 

Keith led the way to their first class, drinking the water of the ice melted in his cut with vigor.

Lance followed him, though he had to take several steps at a quicker pace to keep up. He wondered what was wrong, never having experienced such an odd reaction from another person before. 

Lance had been fortunate. His experience as an open bisexual hadn't caused him any emotional turmoil outside of his initial figuring things out phase. His family had been so supportive; no change in their relationship or behaviors towards him. 

Now he was in college and although he heard how open minded the campus was, he knew that there would still be outliers who would disagree with the person he was - But was Keith one of them?

His awkward behavior and silence only brought worry to Lance. He thought they were having a good time. He thought he was making a new friend. 

That was his hope anyway. 

“Dude, slow down! I doubt it's gonna take us much to -”

“Here we are!” blurted Keith. 

“See… just as I said… are you sure -” 

Keith grabbed Lance’s forearm, dragging him into the classroom. It took Lance by surprise, especially the odd strength of his hand. 

Keith stopped at a set of two desks near the wall in the middle of the classroom. He took the seat to the wall and Lance took the one beside him. Keith went into study - with just a hint of panic - mode; pulling out his books and notebooks, setting himself up on the table and finally logging the wifi to his tablet.

“Quick to change the subject, space cadet?” joked Lance, taking out his laptop and setting it up.

“Subject?” Keith opened his word document for note taking. 

Lance laughed, “We’ll talk about it later…”

“Yeah - okay…” replied Keith as the professor walked in and started passing out the syllabus.

Keith heard nothing but droning as the professor began to give his warnings about the class expectations and what was in store. Lance was quickly typing away and reviewing the list of assignments coming up. His overwhelming look made Keith snicker.

He decided to pull open the messages tab on his tablet.

<\\\>

_ Keith: Tour accomplished. _

_ Pidge: I'm so proud of you. Like a lioness is proud of her cub’s first hunt. _

_ Keith: you're being ridiculous. _

_ Pidge: am I? Anyway, how did it go?  _

_ Keith: fine. Showed him the shuttles, where our stop is and the building’s Starbucks, and then a quick tour of the campus. we’re in our first class now.  _

_ Pidge: sounds like you had a good time. I'm meeting with Hunk soon. I'm pretty much gonna do the same thing.  _

_ Keith: Cool. _

_ <\\\> _

Keith kept wondering if he should tell Pidge. He felt the need to tell her, needing some advice on the situation. He didn't know why it became such an issue in his head. It's not like it bothered him or that it even mattered - then again, Keith wasn't very open about himself much either.

He wasn't in the closet. Anyone he knew personally knew the truth and they accept him, including his parents - whom were the reason he was finally able to be so open and free.

The issue sat in the fact he never made friends with anyone even remotely like him. Not counting the one boyfriend he had in high school, he never spent much time with others like him - he had no other gay friends. 

Shiro had made the issue of it being concerning for Keith. “How do you expect to meet someone if you don't go out with someone who has similar interests?”

“I can go with Pidge…” Keith replied.

“Yeah… I mean, she’ll go but it's not the same. I take Matt and we help each other out and know each other’s taste. She may know those things about you, but sending a small looking girl to hit on some guy for you may come off as a little weird.”

“Yeah… I guess… but it really doesn't matter. I'm not worried about things like that.”

Shiro dropped the subject, but the concern was still written all over his face. 

Keith kept trying to focus on his professor, but his mind kept wandering. He gave up.

<\\\>

_ Keith: I learned something about Lance. _

_ Pidge: ??? _

_ Pidge: are you going to tell me?  _

_ Keith: I mean I guess I can… it's something personal… _

_ Pidge: personal? He’s spilling secrets to you already?  _

_ Keith: I mean, he said it wasn't really a secret. _

_ Pidge: Then, spill. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: he’s bi? _

_ Pidge: why did you put a question mark? Are you not sure? _

_ Keith: no… I'm sure… just, confused about it. _

_ Pidge: Because you're interested. _

_ Keith: isn't that missing a question mark? _

_ Pidge: nope. _

_ Keith: I AM NOT INTERESTED! I'm just not sure how to handle being told such information when I've only known him for a few hours. _

_ Pidge: what is there to handle? He’s open with who he is. I think the problem is that you're not as forthcoming and it bothers you a little. Let me guess, you didn't tell him you're gay. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: no. _

_ Pidge: And there lies the problem. Just tell him. What’s the worst that could happen? _

_ Keith: I - I don't know.  _

_ Pidge: So tell him and stop being dumb.  _

_ Keith: … _

_ Pidge: DUMB!  _

_ Keith: Fine… _

_ <\\\> _

Keith knew Pidge was right. She was always right. He decided, once class was over in between their classes, he would tell him.

Just after he removed the lump that sat in his throat.

#

Class ended and Lance didn't know what to think. The course work list seemed like so much; nothing could compare to the amount expected of him to complete for the one class and he had signed up for  _ four _ the first semester.

He missed community college already.

Still, he had to keep trying. He couldn't allow his lower than expected academic achievements to slow him down. He was bright and smart, when he applied himself.

Though that was the problem - he hated applying himself.

He preferred the distractions in life - cute girls lying on their backs on the campus square enjoying the sun as they studied along side enjoying a nice self made picnic. The hot guys playing frisbee or riding their skateboards along the campus to get from class to class. The social hours and events posted throughout the campus. All of it. He wanted all of it in exchange for the course work to disappear as soon as he received it.

Strapping on his satchel, he waited for Keith to stand and escort him to their next class. “We have an hour and a half before the next one,” said Keith as he finally started leaving the classroom after packing his ridiculous amounts of study notebooks and tablet, “We can grab some food at the Student Union really quick. Maybe stop by the bookstore to buy your books… although I'm sure the line is hideous right now.”

“Let’s just get food. I can do the bookstore after next class since it's the only other class of the day,” replied Lance.

“Alright…”

Lance looked to Keith as they walked through the halls. He wondered why the Asian looking cutie was so quiet and reserved. It became obvious to Lance the previous night that Keith wasn't much of a talker and that one had to read his expressions to understand if he was having a good time or not.

For someone who barely spoke a sentence, he lacked a poker face.

Lance followed Keith to the Student Union. It was a bit of a walk from the building he would be spending most of his time, but he enjoyed the pleasant walk in the middle of early fall in Tampa. The sun was bright with only a few clouds hovering over them. The trees scattered throughout the campus gave it an almost fantasy like view with its roots curving out of the ground, lacing the walking path and green fields with shadows of the leaves from above.

It felt like a dream to smell the mix of fresh trees and car fumes instead of the always linger scent of orange trees. The school didn’t smell anything like home and Lance loved every second of it.

Reaching the Student Union, it was clearly the place where the students would gathers. The edges of the first floor were filled with food stands of different popular eateries, similar to that of a food court at the mall. 

Lance stopped for a moment at the center of the Student Union. He remembered it from orientation. Each floor carried different areas for students to use during the year, including more computer labs and administration offices. 

He blended in perfectly with the other students who had been there for years. Sliding beside Keith in line, they both grabbed a tray and started to gather some food from the pizza line. “Are you going to keep being quiet?” asked Lance picking up a cup for soda. 

“No - sorry, I forget sometimes that I’m with someone,” replied Keith. A twitch of guilt took over his face immediately.

“Oh - so I’m forgetful. Thanks!” Lance chuckled.

“That’s not what I meant… God, I meant that I’m used to being alone so I really never talk much.” 

“Alone? Like on campus?”

“No. Alone as in  _ alone _ alone. I have one of the studio dorms, remember?” 

Lance had forgotten. Seeing Keith and Pidge together, so close in friendship, for some reason made Lance forget that when they introduced themselves they mentioned each lived on their own. He figured since they were best friends, they were living together just like himself and Hunk.

“Doesn’t that get boring?”

“Naw - I like the quiet and I can get more work done that way.”

“Sounds boring to me. What would you do for fun?”

They both picked up a slice of pizza and headed to the register to pay. “I mostly study and hang with Pidge. We play a lot of games over the Playstation or on the computer.”

“That’s it?” Lance replied as they paid and made their way to a table, “do you ever leave your room?”

“Yeah… to come to class.” Keith had replied as if the response was obvious and not pathetic.

They sat down with their trays, getting comfortable before starting to eat. Keith continued, “To be honest, last night was the first time Pidge or I did anything outside of our own place without our brothers. They are the ones that usually drag us out.” 

“Do you even have a life?” Lance couldn’t understand why anyone would want to live such a reserved life. His whole life he wanted more outside of his small town. Now, here he was in a bigger city with more to do and he befriends a person who only wants to be locked up in his own dungeon. 

It seems nothing would go Lances way. 

“I like my life the way it is…” Keith’s voice hesitated, unsure if his answer was completely honest. 

“Doesn’t sound convincing,” Lance took a big bit of his pizza.

Keith didn’t reply, instead quietly eating his pizza deep in thought. Breaking the silence, his phone rang. He picked it up, clicked a few things, and grunted. Lance wondered what bothered him so much, but years of having siblings have taught him to mind his own business when it came to text messages or phone calls - sometimes you learn things you never really wanted to know. 

“About that subject…” finally said Keith.

“The class? Yeah, its gonna kick my ass with all that work,” commented Lance.

“Not that… the subject we were discussing before class.”

Lance raised an eyebrow when he finally remembered.He paused mid bite, “What about it?” 

“Um - I think it's cool your bi and so comfortable about it… must be nice feel free to share the information with a stranger.”

“A stranger? Keith, we've spent almost twenty-four hours together, I don't consider you much of a stranger. Although, you act weird enough.”

“I, what?!”

“Don't be offended by it. Don't mean anything bad about it, you just seem so reserved at times then you pull stunts like this.”

“Well… I'm not used to spending so much time with one person who isn't Pidge or Shiro.”

“I haven't been a bother, have I?”

“No! I invited you to a tour and it's cool to have the same classes with someone… it's just,  _ different  _ for me.”

“You really are a hermit crab.”

Keith stared at him blankly. Lance shook his head and kept eating, “Well thanks for being cool about it. Didn’t want to make anything awkward, but I don't hide it when asked. I mean, I'm not going around wearing pride shirts everyday, but I'm totally not secretive about it either.”

“I can see that…” Keith paused again for a lengthy period of time. Finally after reaching the crust of his pizza, he broke the silence, “I'm gay…”

He blurted it out. No warning. No sign. He simply said it.

“Excuse me?” It took Lance completely off guard.

Keith took a swig of his drink before repeating himself, “I'm gay. Figured I'd let you know since you decided to be so open.”

“You couldn't have told me this earlier? right after I said it? I mean, I thought I had offended you!” Lance looked slightly peeved.

“Sorry… I just normally don't tell people. I'm not in the closet, just not a thing I say or tell people. Need to know based type thing.”

“Glad I got  _ level five  _ clearance into your personal life.”

Keith giggled. Lance continued, “Well, that's cool. At least now I have someone to check out guys with without having someone like Hunk just politely play along to assist me. It hard since he doesn't get how to look for my type. Not his fault, does wonders when it comes to females, but can't seem to get the hang of the males.”

“I doubt I'll be doing much of that with you either…”

“What?! How come?! You just said you like guys!” 

“Yeah, but I'm not looking so I don't look.”

“Boring!”

“You sound like Pidge.”

“And Pidge sounds like a genius! How do you get dates with that attitude.”

“I don't… not looking remember.”

“Not even for fun! No random make out sessions? No flirting at a local party just to feel awesome? No potential opinions for  _ later _ in the evening? Nothing?!”

“Nope.”

“I repeat… boring!”

Keith coward away in his seat, averting his eyes from Lance -  _ no poker face.  _

“I didn't mean to be rude. It just doesn't make any sense to me. I've always wanted to go out on dates freely, but I come from a small town and there was only one openly gay guy, so I didn't have a lot of opinions when it came to men.”

“I've always lived in big cities, so I'm the opposite.”

“Then, I guess that makes sense… kind of…” It still made no sense to Lance.

“Yeah?” Keith grinned to the side of his face. 

Before Lance could speak again, his phone buzzed.

<\\\>

_ Hunk: this campus is awesome! Pidge just showed me the library. It's huge!  _

_ Lance: my building is behind the library! @_@ _

_ Hunk: what's with the face? _

_ Lance: Keith… _

_ Hunk: Pidge told me how weird he can be. _

_ Lance: Not weird, just quiet. _

_ Hunk: then talk! Give him some of that Lance charm. _

_ Lance: I've been trying! _

<\\\>

“Pidge just showed Hunk the library,” said Lance, “he seems to be having a good time.”

“And you?” Keith asked curiously.

“Yeah… I am too.” He gave a genuine smile.

“Cool. We can leave now if you'd like. Anywhere in particular you'd like to see?”

“Naw, we have class in thirty minutes. Figured we could head over while I start looking over my notes from the previous class. Try and figure out how I'm going to have a social life and still do all my work.”

“And that's only one class.” 

“Ugh! Don't remind me!”

Keith giggled. Lance smiled.

He liked Keith’s laugh and smile. He felt it was like a lost treasure, always trying to find the impossible specs of gold. He could tell Keith wasn't the type to hang out with people while in school. He was a loner, an omega wolf who frequently strays from his pack.

He had put a lot of effort into showing Lance around and Lance felt grateful for it. Then, he thought that perhaps after this next class, Lance would let him go off to his regularly scheduled programming. There was no reason to force Keith to stick around.

They started to make their way back to the class, the silence between them returning, except instead of it being comfortable, Lance’s mind kept racing.

It bothered him. Truly bothered him that Keith was so alone. It was a concept Lance couldn't accept. Lance always had to fight for five minutes of alone time, but he still loved socialize with his family and friends. 

He was raised to be a social butterfly and the hero for those who weren't. In a way, Lance wanted to give Keith a chance at making friends and search for a life outside his four wall, but how does an extrovert convince an introvert to step out of his shell without breaking it.

They reached the aviation building and went to the fourth floor. Before entering, Lance stopped Keith, “Once we’re done with class, if you want to go on with your day, you can. I'll take care of stuff on my own,” said Lance.

Keith’s face was utterly confused, “Okay… but what about our tour?”

“I think I got the gist of it.”

“I - I don't mind sticking around,” Keith voice was unsure of its own words.

“You sure?”

“I have nothing better to do… like you said, I'm boring.”

“It's boring to be alone. Not that  _ you're _ boring,” Lance gently punched Keith’s arm, “sure, we can stick around together.”

Keith nodded his, clearing his throat, and entering the classroom. Taking their seats, they prepared as before and awaited their professor in peace.

#

Once the class ended, they left the classroom and started making their way to the Barnes and Nobles on campus. Lance planned to buy his books, but had been warned about how busy the store would be on first day of school.

They weren't lying.

“Crap! I'm gonna be here for hours!”

“Pidge said, she’ll download the books for you. It's why I have a tablet, makes reading and taking notes easier.”

Lance grumbled. “I'll call my parents now and see if I can buy a tablet with my book money…” he turned right around and stepped outside to pull out his phone.

Keith watched him and then pulled out his own phone.

<\\\>

_ Keith: you were right… _

_ Pidge: as always! Can I tell Hunk?  _

_ Keith: I guess it wouldn't hurt. _

_ Pidge: cool, cause I already did. _

_ Keith: KATE!!!!  _

_ Pidge: You're not that mad at me :p _

_ Keith: … _

_ Pidge: right again :D _

_ Keith: Hate you. _

_ Pidge: No you don't.  _

_ Keith: So what now? _

_ Pidge: What do you mean? _

_ Keith: like we finished class and he’s gonna get a tablet for his downloadable books. What do I do now? _

_ Pidge: I need to enroll you in Friendship Making 101. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: Is that really a class? _

_ Pidge: Yep, and I'm the professor. _

_ Keith: Then, I'll pass. _

_ Pidge: It's up to you. I'm hanging with Hunk on campus in the robotics department. Showing him around the labs since Matt has access after class hours. We’ll be a while. _

_ Pidge: Honestly, if you're done, you can head home. I appreciate you making an effort and it seems you had a good time, but classes are done for you today, so you can head home. _

_ <\\\> _

Keith thought about it before replying. Pidge was right, again. He actually did have a good time. It surprised him, but he felt that Lance was already becoming a friend and with Pidge hanging out with Hunk, he felt that was already done too. 

It felt nice to spend time with someone new and different. What shocked Keith most was how much he didn't want the day to end - he didn't want to be alone for once.

<\\\>

_ Keith: I'm gonna ask him what he wants to do and then I'll take it from there. _

_ Pidge: awesome! Dinner, just the two of us?  _

_ Keith: Sure. _

_ <\\\> _

“ _ Mamí y Papí  _  said yes. I'm going to hit the local Best Buy for it later tonight. Miguel said he’ll take me. I guess I'm done. Maybe get started on some of these assignments,” said Lance.

“How do you plan to study if you don't have the books?” asked Keith.

Lance’s face dropped in disappointment, “I hate the little details sometimes.”

“We can go to the library and take one of the study desks and we can read over the work together. That way we both get started and can help each other out,” suggested Keith.

Lance reacted by placing an arm around Keith’s neck and pulling him down slightly. It was playful and discouraging, “You are a lifesaver. Lead the way!” Lance seemed to have no intention of allowing Keith to lead. He had learned the campus and started dragging Keith away toward the right building.

Eventually he let go, after what felt like a block of walking. Once inside, Keith took him directly to the elevator to the top floor. He noted that it tended to be the quietest and had the most study desks. 

Reaching the correct floor, he led Lance to the back of the room. Compared to the first floor, there was a drastic decrease in students and the corner Keith had picked had not a single person for several desks. Each desk had room for two people to sit. Along three sides of the desk was a built in wall for privacy.

They sat. Lance took out his laptop, while Keith took out his tablet and notebook. Both kept their voices at a whisper, not from wanting to disrespect those studying around them - as there was no one close enough to hear them - but simply because it was a library and the behavior had been ingrained in both their minds.

Keith opened the textbook on his tablet for his first class and opened it to the assignment page. “Here,” he whispered, “we can read it silently together and take notes accordingly. No turning the page until both of us are done.”

“Sounds fine.” Lance leaned closer to Keith; their arms now touching. Even with all the space around him, Keith quickly realized there was nowhere else for him to go. He needed to be this close to Lance and there was no avoiding it.

He shook his head of the uncomfortable thoughts and went into study mode. They both did as they said and kept to the assignment, the silence no longer awkward or weird - it was necessary. 

Minutes had passed as they kept at a good study pace. Lance would type his notes on his laptop, while Keith wrote them down in his notebook. Both respected the ever changing pace of the other, but it was the short glances back at Lance that caught Keith off guard. 

He remembered the first time he saw Lance in the elevator. He found him attractive, but dismissed the thought quickly. Now, having spent some time with him, the thought returned.

He blamed Pidge due to her insistent need to keep repeating her personal thoughts on the matter. Still, it wasn't just that. He felt comfortable around Lance and it was a different feeling - a nice, but different feeling.

Keith still mostly focused on the assignment, but would quietly chuckle to himself whenever he noticed Lance’s frustrations over what he was reading - finding the gesture charming.

“I don't get this,” whispered Lance. He subconsciously moved closer to Keith, leaning towards his ear.

Keith swallowed air before answering, “This chart explaining it…” he proceeded to assist the confused Lance. 

After another hour, both the men were yawning and needing a boost of energy.

“It's nap time. Let’s head back to the apartment. I think I'm studied out for the day,” suggested Lance.

“That was barely any time.” Keith started to pack his belongings.

“You really do just study… arg! This is gonna be so hard!”

Lance strapped on his satchel. Keith put on his backpack and they both left the library.

Walking to the shuttle stop, Lance kept asking questions about the work. Keith realized that Lance would be the type to need assistance with understanding the work, but at least he seemed determined to do well. 

The whole ride home, Lance wouldn't stop trying to figure out the parts he was confused over, but after some time, Keith wasn't sure if he was really confused or just wanted to talk. Reaching the last few blocks before they arrived at apartment, Keith changed the subject, “So, what do you plan to do once you're home.”

“Nap. You thought I was lying?”

Keith shook his head with a slight grin, “Alright.”

“Why? You wanted to ask me to do something?”

“No. just curious. I have plans to meet Pidge for a dinner date.”

“That sounds like fun. I think I'll have Miguel take Hunk and I food shopping after I get my tablet. Hate having to eat out all the time especially since Hunk is such a good cook.”

“Is he?”

“His mac and cheese is grandmother level noteworthy. Nothing comes from a box. No college eating for me.”

They reached their stop and stepped off.

“At least you'll eat well.” They entered the apartment complex and went directly to their floor. Once at their doors, they stopped and turned to one another.

“Give me your phone,” said Lance, holding a hand out.

“What?” Keith hesitated but took it out.

“Unlock it and hand it over.” 

Keith followed directions. He waited for Lance to finish with his phone. He tried to look over, but Lance kept dodging this way and that. Suddenly, Lance turned to stand beside Keith and pointed the phone upward towards both of them. “Say cheese.”

Without much more warning, Lance leaned close to Keith and gave a peace sign. He took the selfie and then went back to work on Keith’s phone.

Keith stood there in a daze before realizing Lance’s phone was ringing.

“Done. Here you go.” 

“What did you do?” Keith took back his phone.

“I gave you my number and added a picture of us so when I call you can see it. It's something I always do when I give someone my number. Then I texted the pic to myself so I can do the same with your number. It's a weird tradition I created for myself. Text me what time you want to meet for class tomorrow. See ya later Keith.”

Lance opened the door to his apartment and entered, not waiting for Keith to reply. 

Keith entered his apartment and tossed his bag on his bed. He pulled out his phone and looked at the picture. 

Lance looked adorable. Keith hadn't noticed he stuck out the tip of his tongue with the peace sign placed close to his eyes. Keith, on the other, looked surprised and flabbergasted, a small blush on his cheek.

Keith signed, plugging his phone in to charge. He laid back on the bed and pulled out his tablet to keep reading until he heard his phone buzz.

<\\\>

_ Lance: Thanks for the tour and for helping me study already. Does this make you my study partner? _

_ Keith: I guess so… I don't mind. _

_ Lance: Awesome sauce! Expect a lot of questions, I easily get confused or worse, distracted. _

_ Keith: Distracted? _

_ Lance: I have wandering eyes and can't help but notice pretty things around me. _

<\\\>

Keith sat, confused by what he meant.

<\\\>

_ Keith: Pretty things?  _

_ Lance: yeah! Don't tell me you haven't noticed all the hot guys in campus. And hot girls… even though you're not interested in the girls, but still! _

_ Keith: I'm overly focused on my goals, remember? _

_ Lance: Boring! Look, how about this, I help you find a social life and you help me study?  _

_ Keith: I'll help you study, but I don't need help with a social life. _

_ Lance: I'm sure if I asked Pidge, she'd disagree. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Lance: Then, it's a deal! Off to dreamland. See ya later! :D _

_ Keith: Happy napping. _

_ <\\\> _

Keith wondered to himself what all of that meant. Returning to his textbook, he sighed with the thoughts wandering around in his mind - he had no idea what was coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a slow builder, but hopefully you all enjoy this chapter.

“And… done!” said Pidge, handing Lance his new tablet, “all your textbook are under this app and it allows you to make notes and highlight as needed.”

“Awesomeness! Thanks Pidge,” Lance replied. He quickly started to download all the other, funnier, apps. 

Hunk finished packing the last of the new food into the fridge and brought them a drink.

“Lance, I totally have to take you to see the robotics lab! It's crazy!” said Hunk.

“Are you building your Transformer?” joked Lance.

“No…” replied Hunk, “that would be against copyright laws.”

“We’re building my robot,” said Pidge. The devilish look on her face slightly scared Lance, “Voltron.”

“Voltron?”

“Pidge plans to compete in competitor robot fighting. I just joined her team,” said Hunk.

“Who else is in it?” asked Lance.

“It was just my brother and I. We could never compete because anytime we recruited a third person, they would bail.”

“Or as Matt said, she would scare them away,” said Hunk.

“Not my fault they couldn't keep up with me,” the wicked grin appeared again.

“Please tell me I can buy tickets to watch?” asked Lance. 

“For sure! We actually get a few free tickets the higher we get in the rankings. First completion is in October. I'll get you the info for going. You can go with Shiro, Allura, and Keith,” replied Pidge.

“Sounds perfect… where is Keith? Why didn't he come with you?”

“It seems you tired him out. His social meter hit its max and he wanted some alone time.”

“Weirdo,” said Lance, “has he always been this way?”

“Ever since I met him, yeah, but he has good reasons for being that way.”

“Reasons?” asked Lance.

“Sorry. Classified. I'll normally be more than happy to tell you anything about Keith except for that subject. That is too personal.”

“I get yea. Won't press. Still, I offered to teach him how to get a social life. In return he’s help me study.”

“Sounds like a fair enough trade. Honestly, if you could get him to make out with someone, I hope it will reverse some of his tension.”

“Oh yeah! Lance is the perfect guy for that,” said Hunk.

“To make out with Keith?” Pidge turned to Lance, “you could always just do that for me.”

“I am not a whore! I do not just make out with people!” cried Lance, his face a picture of faux offence.   
“I have evidence to prove otherwise and I didn't mean that. I meant you could take him around and go searching for guys together. Didn't you say you always wanted a better wingman than me?” said Hunk. 

“I kind of brought that up already…”

“Let me guess,” Pidge interrupted, “he either change subject or said no.”

“I see that the pot is black. He does this often?” asked Lance.

“ _ Often  _ isn't the right word.  _ Always  _ is,” replied Pidge, “look, I get it. He prefers to be alone or with me, but you guys saw him! He can be a really nice guy!”

“Yeah…” Lance lost himself in thought, “wait a second…”

Lance stood up and ran to his room. He removed a piece of paper from inside his satchel and brought it to Pidge, “You think he’ll go with me? Wingman it up?”

Pidge took the paper and read over the details for the LGBT Event happening. “I doubt it… unless…”

“Unless what?” asked Lance.

“We trick him.” The wicked smile stay permanently on her face. 

#

<\\\>

_ Pidge: Dinner with the pride? _

_ Keith: With the WHAT? _

_ Pidge: Pride… as in a pride of lions. Lance says we are like a lion pride. I like it so I'm using it. _

_ Keith: No. _

_ Pidge: No to dinner or the lion thing?  _

_ Keith: The lion thing. Maybe to dinner. Waiting to hear from Shiro. _

_ Pidge: Alright. _

_ <\\\> _

_ Pidge: Shiro, I need you to tell Keith you're on a date with Allura tonight. Tricking your brother into hitting up a gay bar with Hunk, Lance, and me. _

_ Shiro: Mission accepted.  _

_ <\\\> _

_ Keith: He said he’s going out on a date, so I'm free. Where you wanna go? _

_ Pidge: I was thinking that pizza place on Knights Ave. _

_ Keith: Near all the bars? It'll be packed tonight. _

_ Pidge: Lets people watch! I need to figure out how my victims will look when I release Voltron on them! _

_ Keith: I thought you said Voltron would fight for good? Sounds like evil to me. _

_ Pidge: The people who run like crazed maniac around Knights Ave on a Saturday night ARE the villains. _

_ Keith: Point taken.  _

_ Pidge: So, yes?  _

_ Keith: Alright… after this raid on Destiny? _

_ Pidge: Logging in!  _

_ <\\\> _

_ (Group Chat: The Three Amigos) _

_ Pidge: Target acquired. Destination - Pizza Haven at Knights Ave. Time - 9pm. _

_ Hunk: Yes sir! _

_ Lance: MAKE SURE HE DRESSES RIGHT!  _

_ Pidge: I'm not a miracle worker. _

_ <\\\> _

Pidge jumped off the back of Keith's motorcycle. The fumes from the exhaust filled the small parking space as Keith locked up both their helmets beneath the seat. 

Pidge quickly pulled out her phone and tapped away on the screen. Keith paid no attention as she was notorious for trying to hack into locked wifi access from anywhere they ate - she always accomplished it. 

Walking to Pizza Haven, Keith noticed the club across the street. Rainbow flags proudly displayed as the raging music pulsates from the small black building. People were lining up outside, holding the flyer that seemed familiar to Keith.

It was the same flyer Lance had taken from the bulletin board. 

He wondered if Lance was already inside, dancing away to the music and maybe sneaking in a few drinks with a fake ID - he didn't know if Lance had one or not, but he naturally assumed since he was a social college kid.

Pidge grabbed Keith’s leather jacket - for which she wondered why on earth he would put on a leather jacket anytime outside the one or two weeks of winter they got in Florida. It was night time and still seventy-five degrees fahrenheit. Dragging him into Pizza Haven, his stomach growled with a hunger matched only by a starving tiger.

He’d played too many missions of Destiny, which meant he’d forgotten to eat several meals.

Expecting Pidge to take a seat near the express order, he was surprised to find himself sitting at a booth; with Lance and Hunk; and a full x-large pepperoni pizza. 

“No…” Keith tried to leave, but Pidge pulled him back down. 

“I said it was dinner with Lance and Hunk or did you forget?”

Keith had forgotten the small detail. 

“He forgot,” replied Lance.

“Why would you say  _ no?  _ Don’t you like us?” asked Hunk, starting to dig into the pizza that's been teasing him the last few minutes.

“That's not it! I just know what you're planning,” replied Keith.

“How?” asked Lance.

“I've done this to him before,” Pidge laughed, adjusting her glasses, “yet he falls for it every time.” She took a large bite of her pizza with a wide grin. “The trick is to make sure he’s in raid mode. He loses all of his focus to video games and agrees to anything without remembering the details. His other weakness is once he makes a promise, he has to keep it.” Pidge winked.

“Noted,” said Lance.

Keith grumbled. He hated how much Pidge knew him. He refused to take a bite of his pizza, refusing to make eye contact with any of them.

“What do you even think we have planned?” asked Lance, “for all you know, we are here to eat pizza and nothing else.”

“We’re going into the club… I'm not that oblivious… did she tell you I need to  _ make out  _ with someone?”

“Yep,” said Lance and Hunk in unison.

“I don't! I'm fine!” 

“Lies…” said Pidge, poking Keith on the arm, “you haven't been on a date in years. Just humor us.”

“I seem to be doing that a lot lately.”

“So, you're saying me  _ forcing  _ you to spend time with Lance and Hunk has been a hassle?” 

Hunk and Lance stopped eating. They stared at him, a curious look on their faces.

Keith thought back to his first week of class. The amount of time he spend with Lance in each of this four classes. The time they spend in the library afterward to study and the idiotic, yet charming, look of confusion on Lance’s face whenever he didn’t understand something. The coffee Lance kept promising he would make for him, yet never did when he visited their apartment afterward. The first meal Hunk cooking for them - agreeing that his mac and cheese was the stuff of legends.

The fact they respected his wishes when he declined an offer to hang out and only Pidge had been the one to nauseatingly beg for him to change his mind. By the end of the week there was no denying, not that he would - they were his friends and he enjoyed having them around. 

“No… never. You guys are my friends…” 

Pidge jumped grabbed Keith and wrapped her arms around him, “I’m so proud to hear you say that! This is such a big step for you!”

“I’m not five!” 

“You act that way sometime,” commented Hunk, punching Lance in the arm, knowing he agreed. 

Keith gave into his hungering body and grabbed a slice of pizza. They were his friends, but that did not mean he was fine with going to the club. This was not something he wanted to do. Not now, not ever. 

“Is this really necessary? I really have been doing just fine,” asked Keith, taking a bite of his pizza. 

“Unless you call masterbating to Dylan O'Brian every night being just fine.”

“Kate!” yelled Keith, choking on his pizza.  

“Good taste.” commented Lance, unfazed by the revelation. 

“Can we just agree we all need a night out after our first week of school,” said Hunk, “Gay club or not, we can all use sometime to chill and have some fun.”

Keith grumbled, “I can agree to that.” 

Pidge smiled at Keith. She knew how this would go down. He would stay pouty and grumpy until they arrived. Once inside, he’d get a drink - a cider from some company Pidge had never heard from - and finally, he would relax right after a song he loves plays. 

To her surprise, he started to relax a bit sooner. Sitting in the booth, eating the pizza, Pidge notice him grin - really grin - at something Lance had said. 

They had inside jokes about class; already. Keith listened to Lance wholeheartedly and Lance kept mentioning things about what they saw throughout the campus. 

It took sometime for her to shake off the shock and eventually she joined in giving the same amount of vigor to the conversation about her week with Hunk. 

They laughed - real laughs; relaxed and calm with each other as if they had know each other for more than just a week. 

The pizza vanished and the pitcher of soda was gone. Splitting the tab, Lance was the first to stand, stretching his arms upward. It was the first time Keith noticed his appearance: a pair of dark navy skinny jeans with a black belt and matching Vans all black shoes. An open faces royal blue button down with a white undershirt, fitting his body at the rib cage, loosening at the end. The sleeves were rolled up, revealing a set of black leather bracelets and a ring on his left middle finger. He looked good - too good. 

“Let's go! I'm ready to dance and find me a date.” Lance hadn't realized that the backhanded slap to Keith’s shoulder alerted him of his gaze, “You and I have some wingmanning to do.”

“Wingmanning?” asked Keith.

“Duh! Remember, I give you a social life, you give me study guides. A trade is a trade.” 

Hunk slipped out of the booth as Pidge nudge Keith to stand. 

“Seriously, do I have to teach you everything?” Lance wrapped his arm around Keith’s neck as he stood. He leaned his face uncomfortably close to Keith, “I will help you find a date and you help me. I'm looking for some male tail tonight, which make you my wingman.”

“I'm his wingman for women,” said Hunk shaking his head, “It's a fairly easy job as he has no patience for me to really do much. It's more,  _ hey look at that cute girl over there,  _ then he disappears and you watch him go right after.”

“I'm not sure -” hesitated Keith.

“Just do it!” encouraged Pidge, “the worst that happens is you leave with no one.”

“Come on, Keith, be my wingman and I'll be yours… your ultimate wingman.” Lance’s smile became the bane of Keith’s existence. There was no resisting his charm.

“Fine…”

“Yes! Onward!” Lance dragged Keith out of the pizza place just as he had in the library their first day.

They crossed the street, looking like some unified team of  _ not so secretly hidden  _ Power Rangers. None of them had noticed their overwhelming decision in clothing colors. Lance, draped in blue. Pidge causally dressed in black jeans and a hunter green top matching her green hair band. Hunk in blue jeans and a bright yellow t shirt with a brown vest. 

Then, there was Keith, colored in his blue jeans with a red flannel shirt and black tank top, matching his black leather jacket. 

They made the line to enter the club. Surrounding them were a bunch of other college students ready to relax and have a good time. The event was for other members of the LGBT community or supports of the community. The money earned for the night would be donated to a nearby homeless shelter that specializes in providing services to those kicked out of their homes for being who they are by family who didn't support them.

It felt right for Lance to be there. He knew he was a fortunate one, having family who openingly supported him without worries of other’s opinion. It made him grateful and to always remember that not everyone had such love and support. 

Reaching the entrance, they all showed their IDs, only Keith getting a wristband. 

“You're twenty-one?” asked Lance.

“Yeah. I started college a year later than expected,” he turned away from Lance, blushing as he grabbed a hold of his wrist. 

“Lucky!” Lance pulled him in before the remainder of the group.

Once inside, their chest seem to tighten. The music boomed around them as the dance floor lit up with a variety of colors, fog, and an illuminating ceiling decorated to look like stars. They were playing some of the hits so popular over that radio at the moment. Keith groaned at the music, hopeful that the one song he currently liked topping the charts would play. 

He yanked his arm away from Lance once Pidge and Hunk caught up. “I'm gonna get a drink. Go find us a table,” scream Keith over the music.

Lance and Hunk nodded and Pidge gave Keith the universal symbol of  _ get me a drink _ .

They parted and it didn't take Keith long to get himself an apple-peach cider and Pidge a coke. Hunk waved to Keith when he saw him walking away from the bar. Heading towards them, he watched the people around him. 

Dancing on the floor were a mix of couples and groups - all open. All having a good time. 

Keith took a swig of his drink as he reached the table, handing Pidge hers.

“Rum?” asked Hunk.

“Just soda. I don't drink,” said Pidge. It wasn't because she was only eighteen, but it was due to her one night of intoxication with Keith a year ago. She disliked it and never looked at alcohol again. 

“And what are you having?” Lance stole the drink from Keith’s hand and took a swig. “Damn, this is tasty! I want.”

Keith snached his drink back, “Then, turn twenty-one and buy one.”

Lance grumbled, “Alright. Time to dance. Join?” 

Hunk nodded his head, as did Pidge. Keith shook his. “Really?” asked Lance.

“Don't. This one is a non negotiable. You want him to stay, then we dance and he’ll watch the table,” said Pidge.

Lance shook his head, but obeyed. Grabbing Pidge’s hand and dragged her to the dance floor, already dancing to the beat of the song before even reaching it. Pidge laughed at the odd way he danced, shaking his hips but being silly at the same time. Hunk joined in, moving to his own adorable, yet odd rhythm. It made Pidge feel comfortable enough to show off her cute dance moves that normally she reserved for the middle of her locked apartment.

Keith grinned as he sipped his drink. He watched them have their good time. Even thought they looked ridiculous, none of them cared. They were dancing, releasing the tension of starting school and celebrating their friendship.

He noticed something about the way Lance danced. It appeared as if he was holding himself back, making a fool of his dance moves instead of showing off what he could do. It was the slight pop of his hip that gave it away, but not once did he channel the dance his body wanted to released.

“I see you got your eyes on him,” said some stranger stopping beside Keith.

“Excuse me?” Keith panicked. 

He'd never met the tall man standing beside him. His darker features and light hair surprised Keith, even more so the hazel eyes that captivated him the moment he matched them.

“No,” Keith continued, “he’s just a friend.”

“Really?” The man seems unconvinced, “the way you look at him doesn't make it appear that way.”

“Why? Are you interested?” asked Keith.

“In him? Maybe… are you offering to introduce me?”

“Will you give me a name?”

“George,” he extended a hand.

“Keith,” he shook the man’s hand.

“So, what’s his name?”

“Lance. Do me a favor? Buy him a drink, one of these and come back.”

“Alright. I'll be right back.”

George left for the bar to do as Keith suggested. Keith found it interesting how easy that was for him to do. Once George was gone from sight, Keith waved Lance down.

Mid beat, Lance looked over. He pointed at himself and noticed Keith calling to him. He told Hunk and Pidge to keep dancing and that he would be right back. 

“What's up?” asked Lance.

“That guy, in the gray shirt over by the bar.”

Lance looked over, intrigued by what he saw. “Totally. Nice catch. See, you are good at this.”

“He’s buying you a drink now.”

“Damn! You work fast! How do you not have a social life.” 

“Can you stop and just enjoy this?” 

“Alright. Alright. How do I look?”

Keith watched as Lance adjusted his shirt and replied honestly, “Hot.”

“Oh - Keith, no need to patronize me.” He shove Keith lightly. 

George made his way back; a smile crossing his face when he noticed Lance already waiting for him. 

“Hello,” he said flirtatiously as he stopped in front of them. 

“Hi. Names Lance.”

“George. Your friend said you needed a drink.” He handed Lance the bottle of cider.

“Thanks,” Lance took a swig of his new drink. 

“I'm going to get a refill. I'll be back,” said Keith. He shot Lance a look to let him know his statement was simply a way for him and George to talk.

Leaning against the bar, Keith started to look around. He found several of the men attractive and desirable, even noticing some looks back at him. Catching the eyes of a man to the back of the bar, Keith suddenly looked away. He was unsure of his own behavior. The guy was attractive with his black hair and chiseled cheeks, but his mind told him to turn away and look to Lance. 

There, Keith watched after starting his second drink. The music sounded like a buzz in the background as he saw George put his arm around Lance’s waist and Lance leaning closer to George’s ear. The flirting was obvious, not denying the attraction between the two. 

What didn’t make sense was why it bothered Keith so much. He dared not think it - was Keith - 

His phone buzzed.

<\\\>

_ Pidge: Jealous? _

_ Keith: No, where are you? _

_ Pidge: Dance floor.  _

_ <\\\> _

Keith looked into the brightly lit dance floor. He saw a phone hovering in the air, held tightly by two tiny hands as it typed away. She had hacked their wifi and was searching to hack their system for fun. Even in the middle of the dance floor, Pidge couldn’t help herself. He also spotted Hunk, dancing with a large group of men and women, each enjoying his unique dancing styles. 

<\\\>

_ Keith: Stop hacking their system. _

_ Pidge: NEVER!  _

_ Keith: Do I look jealous?  _

_ Pidge: Yes. That cutie at the end of the bar has been giving you goo goo eyes since we walked in and all you did was turn and gawk at Lance. _

_ Keith: I’m concerned for my wingman. _

_ Pidge: 1) Bullshit 2) HA! You called him your wingman. You are so roped into this whole idea. You’re having fun. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: I am… _

_ Pidge: Me - 5, Keith - 0 _

_ Keith: Stop keeping count.  _

_ Pidge: Seriously though… do you like Lance? Like, like him, like him? _

_ <\\\> _

Keith was caught off guard by the question. The statement couldn’t be true. He had only known Lance for a week, but then small details started to enter Keith’s mind as he chugged his drink in an attempt to quickly erase them. 

The soft look of his brown eyes and olive skin and how they would glance at him from time to time. His crooked smile and playful manner. The tone he always had with Keith, already understanding that Keith wasn’t one to comprehend all jokes and sarcasm. The adorable look of confusion in class yet with determination written all over to accomplish his goals. The look of disappointment when Keith mentioned the lack of a social life he had. 

It was all there; one week of memories targeting the front of Keith’s mind. He ordered himself another drink, taken it faster than the previous one before replying back to Pidge.

<\\\>

_ Keith: I don’t know… _

_ Pidge: Oh Keith - I’m coming to you. _

_ <\\\> _

Finishing his third bottle, Keith felt someone grab his wrist. Excepting Pidge, he didn’t resist the touch, but once he felt the hand yank him back, he was startled to find Lance facing him. 

“Dude, nine-one-one, need a bail out. George has a boyfriend. I am not a cheater’s bait. He won’t take no for an answer.” 

“Where is he now?” 

“Grabbing us another drink. Quick, help me out.” 

“Oh - um…” Then Keith heard it; the one current pop song he actually secretly enjoyed. The crowd went wild as the fog machine started to fill the dance floor with it’s white smoke. Lady Gaga’s “Perfect Illusion” started to play causing more people to hit the dance floor. Keith took the opportunity to drag Lance to dance. 

He wanted to make sure George saw them, giving him the hint that maybe Keith’s earlier statement was a lie. They passed a shocked Pidge and made it to the edge of the dance floor.

“Play along,” said Keith into Lance’s ear. Keith moved Lance’s hands around his waist as Keith started to sing along to the song. 

Lance watched in astonishment, never expecting Keith to know every word of the song perfectly. He figured out the plan quickly, starting to move against Keith to the rhythm of the song. Right before the first chorus, George spotted them on the dance floor. Lance pulled himself closer to Keith, their hips rubbing against each other. Keith lost himself to the haze of his cider filled mind, the fog, and the music. He moved along with Lance, not realizing he moved his hand up Lance’s chest. 

Lance winced, but not from disgust. He looked to Keith in shock, noticing the slightly drunk look on his face and the rush of red that matched his shirt. Then, he got another surprise. Keith pulled down on Lance’s shirt and leaned against his ear.

Keith sung, “It was the perfect illusion, somewhere in all this confusion. You were the perfect illusion…” 

George’s face grew angry as he watched them dance so close and spotted the flushed look on Lance’s face. Pidge stood back, analyzing their closeness. She knew, at that moment, something was about to go horribly wrong. 

Lance tightened his grip on Keith. They could both feel each other pressed firmly to the other. It wasn’t dancing as much as it was a public foreplay. 

As the song reached its end, Keith glanced at George from the corner of his eye. He needed to do one more thing to make sure George got the message. The song started to transition into the next. The fog machine bursted once more as Keith pulled Lance in for a kiss.

They were softer than Lance expected. A sweetness from the cider escaped his breath as Lance pulled him in closer. Their lips were in sync, no confusion from either party well aware of what they were doing. 

Only when the clicking of the song change happened did Keith and Lance pull apart. For a moment, they stared into each other’s eyes before glancing back to see that George had vanished. 

“Good… it worked,” said Keith, trying to keep his voice calm. 

“Yeah…” Lance looked back to Keith. He noticed the way his black hair draped over his face, framing his cheeks perfectly and just asking for someone to stare at his neck. 

 

Suddenly, Lance wanted to know how it tasted or how it felt to lean into. “I guess it worked, Keith…”

“I’ll keep looking around for someone more suitable.” Keith quickly removed himself from Lance embrace. He left a lingering sensation as if something perfectly matched had vanished.  

“Yeah… okay…” whispered Lance. 

Keith quickly stepped back up to the bar and ordered another drink. He hoped the heat radiating from his face wasn’t noticeable. Chugging his drink, he prayed Lance didn’t follow. Then, someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was the guy from across the bar -  no longer across the bar.

“You okay? You seemed flustered?” he asked. 

“I’m fine. Just helping a friend get away from some guy,” he replied almost finishing his drink.

“So, you’re single?”

“Yeah…” Keith really wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. 

“Then, hi, I’m Carl. Is it cool if I buy you a refill?” 

“Um… sure…” He looked to Carl and decided he would be an easy distraction. Taking the new drink, he turned his attention of Carl and made sure Lance was no longer in sight. After a few minutes, he learned that Carl actually wasn’t a bad guy and they even shared some common interest. 

Once Lance found Keith, he noticed Carl and the hand that brushed against Keith’s arm. Lance huffed out, “Of course it was all part of the agreement… Good wingmanning, Keith.” Lance shook his head of the thoughts and decided to leave them on the dance floor. There was no reason to think otherwise. 

Still, a small remnant of the experience decided to stay in his mind. 

The night went on and Keith found himself in a dark corner of the bar kissing Carl. He enjoyed it enough and found the experience soothing. Another fact to bring up to Pidge - she had been right about needing some physical appeasing of his frustrations, but it didn’t compare to his kiss with Lance on the dance floor. Something was lacking in Carl’s kiss and he could tell they would be lips he wouldn’t taste again.

His phone buzzed and he asked Carl to give him a moment to look.

<\\\>

_ Lance: Got me a number! And it’s oddly thanks to you. Seems that guy you're making out with also came with a friend and when he was looking for his friend, he found me instead. We got to talking and I scored! Even got me a few dance moves on him and a good quick session. _

_ Keith: Happy for you… _

_ Lance: Thanks for earlier. Wasn’t expecting all that, but it obviously worked. You’re really good at this.  _

_ Keith: I guess I’m a natural? _

_ Lance: Don’t question yourself. You are… now for the bad part, we are leaving.  _

_ <\\\> _

_ (Group Chat: Lion’s Den) _

_ Pidge: Stop making out with the guy, get his number, and meet us at the front. It’s pretty late. _

_ Hunk: Hope we aren’t ruining it, but it is three in the morning.  _

_ Keith: It’s cool. On my way. _

_ Lance: Same! _

_ <\\\> _

Keith excused himself from Carl. He hated this next part, but disliked being dishonest even more. He explained he wasn’t looking for someone and had come to only have some fun for the night. Carl smiled in understanding, grateful that he was even able to get to know Keith for the night. They said their goodbyes as Keith walked off to the front of the club.

“No way are you driving,” said Pidge, “how many drinks did you have?”

“Lost count after five,” confessed Keith.

“Keys!” 

Keith handed Pidge the keys, “You are not driving my bike.”

“No, but I will give you your keys back tomorrow after Shiro brings you back to pick it up. Order us an Uber.” 

“Done,” said Hunk. 

Moments later, Lance came jogging out. He looked exhausted but exhilarated. “That was fun.” 

“Totally, dude. And score for you!” Hunk offered Lance a high five. 

“We should do this again. I must admit dancing does release a lot of tension from my mind,” laughed Pidge, adjusting her glasses. 

“How about you, Keith,” asked Lance. His eyes darting directly to him, “did you have fun?”

“Yeah… I did.” 

“Awesome! Totally doing this again, but now sleep,” said Hunk.

Their Uber arrived. Hopping in, Pidge noticed the odd look on Keith’s face. Something was amiss. Once comfortable, she picked up her phone.

<\\\>

_ Pidge: You alright? _

_ Keith: Yeah… I meant it when I said I had fun. _

_ Pidge: I’m not denying that. I’m asking about Lance. _

_ Keith: That was the cider talking earlier. Ignore what I said. _

_ Pidge: Are you sure? _

_ Keith: Yeah. You were right, I needed to get physical with someone. Lance happened to be the first one so I got confused. I’m not confused anymore. _

_ Pidge: Okay. _

_ Pidge: … _

_ Pidge: You know you can tell me anything. _

_ Keith: I know. And I will if I need to. You know that. _

_ <\\\> _

She did know that. 

Reaching the apartment, Pidge started to wonder if the problem wasn’t so much Keith telling and trusting her but him trusting himself. Once they stepped off the elevator and walked to their own apartments, they all turned to each other one last time.

“Breakfast at our place, tomorrow,” said Hunk.

“What time are you calling breakfast?” asked Lance.

“Noon?”

“Perfect,” said Pidge and Keith in unison.

They all laughed, entering their apartments and headed straight to bed. 

<\\\>

_ Lance: Hunk… I have a question. _

_ Hunk: Are you not tired yet? _

_ Lance: I am, but I have something on my mind. _

_ Hunk: Spill _

_ Lance: Did you watch Keith and I dance? _

_ Hunk: And kiss. Go on. _

_ Lance: He said it was a distraction to get the other guy to back off, but it didn’t feel that way. _

_ Hunk: What did it feel like? _

_ Lance: Ecstasy. _

_ Hunk: Are you worried Keith didn’t feel the same thing? _

_ Lance: I’m more confused as to why I felt that way. _

_ Hunk: Well, seems like you might like him or you got caught up by all the chaos of the moment. You did get someone else’s number, are you regretting that? _

_ Lance: No… I guess it’s that second option. It has to be. _

_ Hunk: Think it over then let me know. _

_ Lance: Okay… night yellow lion! _

_ Hunk: You gave us colors now? _

_ Lance: I will update the remainder of the pride on their color status later. :D _

_ Hunk: Night, buddy. _

<\\\>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me comments if you got them. :) You guys are amazing for giving my story a chance.  
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy. The stuff you want is coming... I promise. :)

 

_ (Group Chat: Team Voltron) _

_ Pidge: Good morning everyone! Heading over for some breakfast at Lance and Hunk’s. See you all there? _

_ Keith: Sure… after this headache goes away. _

_ Shiro: Hangover? And who put this group chat on my phone? And how did I get Lance and Hunk’s number? _

_ Pidge: You're welcome. :D _

_ Matt: She strikes again.  _

_ Allura: You named the group Team Voltron? _

_ Pidge: Of course! Even though it's technically only Matt, Hunk, and I who are the robotic experts, you guys are still part of the team. Like cheerleaders. _

_ Allura: Aw! That’s so sweet to feel included. _

_ Shiro: I told you they liked you. Still waiting to hear from the hangover child. _

_ Pidge: You thought we didn’t like you? _

_ Keith: My insides are trying to kill me. _

_ Allura: I just wasn’t sure. _

_ Shiro: She easily worries especially since she cares about you all. Keith, take some Advil and start drinking water.  _

_ Keith: Ahead of the game… _

_ Pidge: Don’t you worry Allura. We love ya! And can’t wait for Shiro to pop the question, whenever that will be -_- _

_ Shiro: Kate!  _

_ Allura: HAHA! It’s alright Shiro, we’ve already discussed our future plans. No need to feel pressured into this.  _

_ Matt: PUT A RING ON IT NOW! (pressure, pressure, pressure) _

_ Shiro: The two of you are ridiculous. Keith, are you going to be able to eat? _

_ Keith: I NEED to eat, so I will be there.  _

_ Lance: With bells on I hope! Good morning everyone! _

_ Matt: Good afternoon. So, when should we all head over? _

_ Lance: You guys can start heading over in the next ten minutes. Brunch will be served in thirty minutes. _

_ Pidge: What’s on the menu?  _

_ Hunk: A spanish and mushroom quiche with bacon bits sprinkled on top. Bacon strips on  the side with freshly baked biscuits and country gravy.  _

_ Pidge: HOLY CRAP! How long have you been awake to make all of that?  _

_ Hunk: Two hours. _

_ Lance: Hunk isn’t one to sleep in. I will also be complimenting your breakfast with a sip of Cuban espresso and orange juice from a store bought bottle. I only make coffee. _

_ Keith: OH coffee! I need some now!!! _

_ Allura: We are getting ready now. Need us to bring anything? _

_ Lance: You got some plastic wear? Maybe that way we don’t have to do as many dishes… Keith, you can come over now and I’ll make you some American coffee for your hangover. Get you started with that before the harder stuff. _

_ Keith: OMW.  _

_ Allura: We should have some, I’ll look. _

_ Shiro: I know we do, see you all in ten minutes. Keith, take more Advil. _

_ Hunk: He’s already here… _

_ Matt: Always so damned focused. _

_ Hunk: He’s turned his phone off, claiming the sounds are making it worse. _

_ Lance: He’s alert. Got to give him that.  _

_ Pidge: Aw, poor baby can’t get over his hangover. _

_ Hunk: He told me to tell you “I swear I’ll tell everyone about last year!” _

_ Pidge: Threat analyzed and accepted. Will no longer speak of the matter. _

_ Lance: Now I really want to know… _

_ Pidge: Not happening! _

_ Hunk: Keith says there is a high probability that we will learn since you never seem to be able to keep your mouth shut.  _

_ Pidge: DAMN IT KEITH! _

_ Lance: You got him laughing over his cup of coffee. _

_ Pidge: Grrrrrrrr… _

_ <\\\> _

_ (Group Chat: Mom, Dad, and Brother) _

_ Pidge: Take a little longer to head over to Lance and Hunk’s. _

_ Shiro: May I ask why?  _

_ Pidge: Something happened last night and Keith and Lance need some time alone. _

_ Matt: 1) What happened?! 2) Hunk is there, so they aren’t alone. _

_ Allura: I second Matt. _

_ Pidge: 1) I’m coming over to tell you everything. 2) Hunk is about to “excuse” himself to the store pretending he needs something. He’s actually coming to your place. _

_ Allura: How bad was it? _

_ Shiro: You’re starting to worry me.  _

_ Pidge: It all depends on this conversation. Three outcomes are possible 1) They decide they don’t need to be in each other’s lives at all (10% chance this is the case). 2) They decide to start dating and give it a shot (30% chance this is the case). 3) They decide to stay friends and pretend it never happened (60% chance this is the case). _

_ Matt: Pidge! What did they do? _

_ Pidge: Make out in the middle of the dance floor. _

_ Matt: OMFG! _

_ Allura: o_O _

_ Shiro: Crap…  _

_ Pidge: Heading over now. _

_ <\\\> _

“I got to go… I totally forgot to buy pepper,” said Hunk, “can't make this quiche without some cracked pepper.” 

“Corner store?” asked Lance as he poured Keith a fresh cup of drip coffee. 

“Yeah. Need anything?” 

“Naw. Just come back ASAP. I'm getting really hungry.”

“Alright…” Hunk grabbed his keys and started to leave the apartment. Before he did, he leaned over to Lance at the entrance.

They both had their gaze on Keith. Hushed whispered had been exchanged since walking in, but the fresh smell of coffee seemed to perk him up.

“You guys should talk about last night?” whispered Hunk. 

“What, no way! That's was nothing important,” replied Lance.

“That's not what your text said last night.”

Lance grumbled, “Fine.”

Hunk left with a dubious smile on his face. When the door shut, Lance slowly turned to face Keith. 

He had been oblivious to the conversation between Lance and Hunk; too focused on the coffee in front of him. Nothing was more important than the warm cup comforting his palms and the dark smell alleviating the pain in his head. He had yet to take a sip; the aroma alone doing just the trick.

“Why does this smell so good?” moaned Keith. 

Lance bashfully responded, pretending to go back to the kitchen to prepare for the guests. “It's a special blend I have every morning.”

“I'm not a big coffee drinker, but I could drink this every morning. Although, you forgot to give me cream and sugar.”

“Oh - sorry about that. Here you go.” Lance slide Keith some creamer from the fridge and the container with the sugar, “It's best enjoyed with as little cream and sugar to only add some flavor, not completely mask the bean.”

Keith looked down to his lucurious cup and back to Lance. Not wanting to part with the rich aroma, he forced himself to slide the mug to Lance, “Then prep it for me the right way.”

Lance grinned at Keith’s confidence in his taste and did as he was told. One lightly creamed and sugared stir later, he slid the mug back to Keith.

“Oh god - why does it smell even better?”

“Just taste it already.”

Keith did just that. His lip quivered the moment the rich and flavorful coffee hit his tongue. Lance was right, the lack of creamer and sugar allowed for the bitter, yet soothing taste of the roasted coffee beans to dominate its intoxicating taste.

“I think I can see God…”

Lance laughed, “Hello. I'm God.”

“Seriously, what is in this?”

“Coffee, cream, and sugar,” laughed Lance and poured himself a cup, proceeding to prepare it the same way, “the trick is the coffee itself. Normal drip coffee isn’t strong enough for me in the morning, so what I do is buy some basic drip coffee grinds and mix it with Cuban espresso grind.” Lance pointed to a tall bin to the corner of the coffee machine, “the espresso bean gives the bland and boring coffee some extra flavor and bitterness, while the normal coffee lessens the taste of the overpowering espresso coffee. Mix it together and it’s the perfect blend of strong yet soothing.”

Keith took another sip, “This is just perfect. I’m bringing you my travel mug. You are giving me some of this every time you make it.”

“So, everyday before we leave for class?” 

“You have officially outranked Pidge.”

“Really?” Lance blushed by his comment, completely unsure of that meant, “Hey, Keith - about last night…”

“Ugh! Can we not talk about last night?” Keith tucked his head down into his own shoulder before twisting down into his seat on the couch with his coffee, “the headache is enough of a reminder of what a mistake it was to leave my apartment.”

“So… you regret last night?” Lance turned at his seat to look at Keith on the couch.

“I regret having more than three ciders. I forget sometimes how strong they can be. That is what I regret.” Keith took another slow sip of the heavenly coffee.

Lance stood up and sat beside Keith. He made sure there was space between him, but he found his body leaning at Keith’s direction. “And - the  _ other  _ things that happened last night?”

“I guess it was fine. I mean I -” Keith turned to look at Lance. Seeing his face made him realize the real question being asked here. This had nothing to do with anything except what happened on the dance floor.

The matter itself was difficult for Keith to understand. He didn't blame the drinks for that. He wanted to do it - that memory was clear.

Now, seeing Lance shift his gaze away from Keith made him think that maybe it had been a risk that could possibly break the relationship they had built over the week. 

“How do you feel about last night?” asked Keith.

“No fair! You can't answer a question with a question! I asked first,” replied Lance. The frustrations of the situation all over his face.

“I - I don't regret it. If that is what you're asking.” Keith covered his mouth with the mug, drinking the last few sips. 

“No?” Lance’s fingers started to tap against his own mug, “Neither do I?”

Keith disliked how Lance phrased it as a question. It left an awful taste in his mouth, even after having the best cup of coffee in his life.

“Alright…”

“Look, Keith. I appreciate it. You were helping me get away from that douchebag and you did what was necessary to make sure he got the message. Ultimate wingman, after all. In the end, we both got to leave the club with some numbers for future dates.”

“I didn’t leave with a number.”

Lance slid back into his seat, almost spilling his coffee from the sudden change in movement, “But you were making out with that guy.”

“And? Pidge was right, I needed to get some tension out. So I did. I told you, I’m not looking.” 

“You did… so, that wraps it up then?”

Keith couldn't explain the next set of words that came out of his mouth. Later he would convince himself it was all a side effect of the hangover - that the drugs in his system were giving him negative side effects mixed with the linger alcohol in his system. 

“However… it was good…”

Lance raised an eyebrow, “To finally make out with that guy? I'm sure. I felt the same relief with my guy.”

“No… you… it was good…”

“Oh…” Lance’s hold on his cup loosened, he started to lean into the coffee table and he moved himself closer to Keith. 

He noticed Keith move in closer as well. Both of them, a subconscious reaction to the awkwardness of the conversation they were having.

Neither could completely explain what happened next. Lance found his mug sitting on the coffee table as Keith’s finger wiggled their way above Lance’s. They lost their ability to control their minds or the repetitive remarks within their thoughts.

_ His lips were so soft. _

_ He felt perfectly aligned against my body. _

_ I want to taste his neck. _

_ I want to tangle my fingers in his hair. _

_ I want to try it one more time.  _

The silence of the apartment gave them room to think before either pursed the action, but they had a goal and neither was backing down from the battle ahead.

Hovering over each other’s lips, they felt the coffee warmth left behind on each others breath. Their noses lightly grazed before the door swung open with Pidge leading the charge.

No one took notice as Lance sipped his coffee and pretended to have played a game on his cell phone as Keith kept tapping away at another round of Bubble Witch.

The status of their bodies and the distance concerned the group as to the results of them talking, until Lance finally turned around to acknowledge them.

“It's about time! God I'm starving. Keith and I ended up playing some rounds of Bubble Witch cause all we could talk about was food and it was safer to just distract ourselves.” The lie spilled off his lips with all the confidence of telling the actual truth.

He had years of experience due to his siblings and not even Hunk could recognize when he was actually being truthful.

Keith causally turned off his phone and turned to look at Lance, “Second cup? Seriously best coffee ever.”

“Naw - I'm gonna make the harder stuff for all of you… sit, Hunk and I got this.”

Everyone followed his orders and got comfortable in the apartment as Hunk and Lance went directly to the kitchen. 

Sitting beside Keith, Pidge leaned in and whispered, “Did you guys talk?”

“Are you seriously bringing that up?” He looked intently at his phone trying to hide the truth. Luckily, to Pidge it appeared as if he was avoiding the subject matter completely with Lance and her.

“Are you not going to talk about it?”

“It was a drunk decision and all I was trying to do was help him get rid of some guy. That's what we talked about. Done.”

“As long as you talked about it…” She became disappointed. She had hoped it was possible for them to maybe try something, but it became obviously useless.

Hunk began to crack eggs and mix them in a bowl. As Lance prepped his stove top espresso maker, he turned to whisper at him, “Bro. Did you figure anything out with Keith.”

“Um - yeah. It was all part of the game. The wingman game. No biggie. We’re cool.”

“Okay.” Hunk didn't want to believe it, but the quick disappointed glance from Pidge confirmed that both their stories matched.

“ _ At least they stayed friends.”  _ They both thought.

Lance stayed with Hunk in the kitchen, assisting him with making all the meals and, most importantly, the Cuban coffee. The aroma of the strong and pungent espresso filled the room with the lingering flavors of the eggs and fresh spinach. 

“God! That smells so amazing!” said Allura. 

“Here,” said Lance as he stored the coffee into the sugar paste he created, “try the coffee, it's ready.” He poured it into a small espresso cup and placed it on a saucer.

Allura took the coffee, inhaling it deeply before sipping at the hot brew. She moaned at its rich flavor, strong and harsh, but sweet from the sugar. It indulge every caffeine need her body craved in one sip. 

“This is fantastic,” she gleamed, “much better than Italian espresso.

“Those Italians got nothing on us Cubans,” Lance laughed as he pour the remainder into the other cups.

One at a time, Lance gave everyone a cup. Hunk immediately took his and sipped it while finishing the quiche, having missed the taste from his visits into Lance’s home. He loved the coffee and it gave him a reassuring feeling of happy times with the McClain family.

The last to take his cup was Keith. Taking it from Lance’s hands, he inhaled it just as he did with the previous coffee. After tasting it, he shivered in delight. Now, he had two more reasons to be near Lance all the time.

“This I won't make everyday,” Lance commented based on Keith elated face, “but I'll call you over when I'm in the mood. This will keep us up for study sessions as well.”

“And robot making,” added Pidge.

“Yeah. We’re gonna need some for our late nights,” said Matt.

“No problem.” Lance smiled, happy to see everyone enjoying his coffee. 

On cue, Hunk cut into the quiche and handed everyone a slice and a fork. Even though there was a dining table, they all gathered in the living around the coffee table. Some sat on the floor while others took the spaces on the couch. The chef took a seat at his armchair and told everyone to enjoy.

The light taste of the egg caused everyone to hum in unison. They sound like singing angels, whispering blessing into the sky for being honored with such a meal.

“You guys are the best new neighbors, ever,” muttered Shiro mid-chew.

The rest agreed and stayed in a comfortable silence as they enjoyed their meal.

#

“Thanks for coming!” said Lance from the kitchen as he finished washing the dishes.

“We need to do this more often,” said Shiro.

“Maybe next time we will host. I have a larger kitchen,” suggested Allura.

“If you have more counter space I can make some home baked pastries,” said Hunk.

“Next weekend at our place,” announced Matt.

They all laughed. Pidge gave Hunk a hug and darted into the kitchen to give one to Lance, “You guys are awesome! I'm so happy you weren't weird.”

“Same,” chuckled Lance.

Keith stood at the end of the line to leave - he didn't want to, but he couldn't admit it. He waited for Pidge to exit before finally taking the steps required of him to leave. He glanced over at Lance; their eyes meeting.

“See ya tomorrow?” asked Keith.

“With coffee in hand,” replied Lance.

Hiding his grin, Keith left the apartment and went directly across the hall.

“One minute,” said Shiro. Everyone else disappeared into the apartments, although Pidge left her door slightly opened to listen in. Shiro continued, “Mom and dad want to have dinner tonight. Figured I could drive you to get your bike and then we could go from there.”

“My bike! I totally forgot! Yeah, that works for me. What time?” replied Keith.

“Five.”

“Fine. Just knock on my door and get my keys from Pidge.”

Just then, there were keys rattling across the floor and Pidge’s door shutting thereafter. Keith picked up the keys and pocketed them.

“Really quick,” said Shiro, “I’m sure you know I know about yesterday.”

“I'm telling everyone in a mass email about Pidge’s night of drinking now…” 

“Wait, what?! No, nevermind, look, if you need someone to talk to, just let me know.”

“I don't need to. Lance and I talked. It was all part of helping him get away from that guy. Nothing else.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I swear.”

“Okay… see you for dinner.” Shiro strolled back to his apartment as Keith walked to his own. 

Closing the door behind him, he started to panic.  _ “That lie came out believable, right?! It looks like Lance told the same one, so no need to worry there… just move on…”  _

He grunted loudly and wanted to drown his thoughts elsewhere.

He had almost kissed Lance, again.

There was no rhyme or reason to his actions. None of it made any sense. They said the truth, it was part of the wingman game.

Or was it.

Keith pulled his phone out of his pocket, wanting to clear the air with Lance. To his surprise he had his phone on silent and had a missed text.

<\\\>

_ Lance: Did we almost? You know. _

_ Keith: yes… _

_ Lance: it was a lost moment, right? Like, we were caught up in something. _

_ Keith: what something? _

_ Lance: I DON'T KNOW! I was hoping you would have the answer.  _

_ Keith: … _

_ Lance: … No answer? _

_ <\\\> _

Keith didn't have an answer. He didn't know what to think or how to respond. He had noone to blame his actions on except himself and the worst of it all kept repeating in his head.

He still wanted to try again.

No, there is no point in trying again. He just got a friend and why ruin it with something so complicated. He didn't even know why he wanted to try it again. His lack of affection perhaps was starting to get the best of him and Lance became an easy target.

He felt at ease around him. Already close and comfortable. That had to be the reason behind why he wanted to be so near Lance and why the kiss became addicting.

He wanted intimacy and he didn't want it from a stranger. His phone rang again. 

<\\\>

_ Lance: Look, I don't want this to ruin our friendship. Can we just not make it a big deal? We can blame it on me and my consistent hunting for male tail? I forgot to turn off my radar. Does that work? _

_ Keith: only if you accept that my radar was blazing too? _

_ Lance: … _

_ Lance: Alright… so, we’re good? No damage to the friendship. _

_ Keith: yeah, we’re good. No damage. Is it cool I stay on as your wingman? Honestly, if I did learn anything from last night it was how right Pidge was. _

_ Lance: Totally! Next time we go out, I'll help you in anyway I can.  _

_ Keith: Cool. _

_ <\\\> _

Keith kept staring at his phone, clutching it tightly as he thought and reread the set of messages. 

It was done. There was nothing further to say and they were just going to move on. The lie became the truth, yet it bothered Keith and he didn't know how to explain it.

<\\\>

_ Lance: Cool _

_ <\\\> _

“What's wrong?” asked Hunk as he handed Lance over his Wii controller for a few rounds of Mario Party.

Hunk noticed the distressed look on Lance's face and how he seemed to keep staring at his phone.

“Nothing… just got something clarified and I'm still confused.”

“School work?”

“Yeah… school work. I call Yoshi!”

Lance couldn’t admit his disappointment to Hunk. There was a part of him that suddenly couldn’t stop thinking of Keith. The pounding of the music. The surprise grinding of his hips against Lance. The kiss.

Oh - the kiss.

Lance had kissed several people before in his life, but never had he felt that someone’s lips matched his so well. They were a work of art being painted on Lance’s canvas and all Lance wanted was more. 

Still, he didn’t know what it all meant. All he could think about was the kiss. Nothing else about Keith seemed to reflect in his head. Was it all pure lust? 

Regardless if that was the case, Lance knew one thing - he couldn’t pursue it. He liked Keith as a friend and the last thing he wanted was to ruin it because he wanted to keep making out with the Korean beauty. He knew better than to ruin a good thing and wanted to sustain the friendship.

Lance decided right there, no holding back on his own words - He will no longer place his lips on Keith Kogane.

#

Shiro knocked on Keith’s door, “Ready when you are!” Holding Allura’s hand, they waited for the door to open. 

Keith donned his normal casual attire. As the elevator was called, Keith reached into his pocket, “Crap, left the bike keys. I’ll meet you both down stairs.” Shiro and Allura went ahead in the elevator. 

As Keith walked back into his apartment, he grabbed the keys sitting in his small kitchen. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his coffee mugs. He wondered for a second before grabbing his clean to-go mug and running out the door. 

#

Lance kept reading his textbook time and time again. He kept jotting down notes he would eventually ask Keith to help him with, but he was determined to get some of it on his own. The topics weren't as complicated as he thought, but Lance didn’t want to skid by in university. He wanted to be a top ranking student and needed to make sure he understood every aspect of the lesson. 

Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door. Just as he stood up to get it, his phone rung.

<\\\>

_ Keith: One order for tomorrow morning, please. _

_ <\\\> _

Confused, Lance went to the door and opened it. Sitting on the floor in front of him was a small to-go cup. Lance grinned as he picked it up and examined the array of UFO’s attacking people; a scene for  _ Mars Attacks _ . 

Lance found the cup interesting and brought it into his apartment. Placing it beside the coffee machine, Lance went back to his textbook. Every so often, when he lost himself to the jumbled words or his mind started to confuse one graph for another, he would turn his head to look at the cup. 

It encouraged him to keep trying and so he did.

#

“You still ride around in that bike?” asked Keith and Shiro’s mother, Midori. Her tiny frame and short height only appeared worse when standing beside her sons. Her deep black hair matched Shiro’s as well as her smile. 

“Did you think I was going to give it up? Mother, you know I love my bike. It’s the one project I got,” he kissed her on the forehead and walked directly to the living room. There he found his father, Kenji, lounging around watching the latest episode of  _ Dancing with the Stars _ , his one guilty pleasure. 

Allura gave Midori a hug. The two women always got along; Allura being the first girlfriend to ever achieve such a goal. As usual, Midori grabbed Allura’s hand, examined it and turned to Shiro. “Still, no ring! I blame your father for this.”

The phrase had become so common, Keith and Kenji said it along with her. They laughed; Kenji making some room for Keith to sit by him. “How has school been? For having our two sons only an hour away, we don’t get many updates.”

“First week of classes went well. Pidge and Matt send their hellos,” replied Keith. 

Shiro and Allura walked into the room as Midori kept scowling at him about not officially asking Allura to be his bride. Allura couldn’t stop giggling at Shiro’s nervous tick. “Don’t get comfortable. Dinner's almost ready,” said Midori. She went directly back to the kitchen; Allura following her insisting that she help. 

“Forgive your mother,” said Kenji, “She never thought she would actually find someone that actually matched you well.”

“I know pop. Still watching that show?” said Shiro, sitting between Keith and his father.

“Do you blame me, look at them dance. Its mesmerizing.” In unison the three boys, suddenly tilted their head as a professional dancer started to rapidly shake her hips.

“Maybe I should watch this show,” said Shiro.

Then, one of the male dancers ripped open his shirt. “Yeah, me too,” added Keith.

“Both of you are so my sons.” 

Midori shouted from the dining room. Each of them took their place at the table and thanked their mother for the meal. It stayed silent for a bit as they each enjoyed the flavorful roast beef and white rice stew - a classic of the Shirogane family. 

Surrounding the dining table were several pictures nailed to the wall. The story of Shiro growing up from infant to adulthood played out in an almost timeline sequence on the wall. To anyone who visited, it became clear that they were proud of their son’s accomplishments. One picture always stood out. At the corner of the left wall sat a picture of a teenaged Shiro sitting in a hospital bed with his left arm missing and the fresh scar over his nose to his cheeks. After a year of driving, a drunk driving hit Shiro, which cause him major injuries within his left arm. Doctor’s attempted to save the arm, but the nerves had been damaged and the wounds quickly became infected, spreading upward to his body. It became his decision to ask them to cut off the arm, knowing it would be easier to just learn to adjust with the changes. That is where he met Matt, a robotics student in his high school who heard Shiro’s story and wanted to try and build him an arm. Over the years, Matt with the assistance of his sister, were able to build Shiro a lightweight prosthetic with flexible joints and moveable fingers. 

To this day, Shiro still has his first arm, tucked away in his closet back at the apartment. It helped Matt get into Garrison with a full scholarship and landed Pidge an early graduation from high school and a scholarship to the same program. Over the years, they would try and improve on the arm they first created and gave the rights to the University research department in order to make it affordable for those in need. 

Shiro was pleased to have made and met his best friend after such a tragedy. 

Although not strange to the family or Allura, Keith didn’t start to appear in the images until his thirteenth birthday. There were no early pictures of his childhood or infancy. Even so, the images didn’t seem to be displayed with faces of pride and joy until after Keith turned seventeen. From there, the number of pictures matched Shiro’s, showing Keith fixing his bike, attending Sci-Fi conventions and a picture of him in his pajamas holding his High School Diploma. 

There was no questioning one thing - they were proud of their sons and wanted the world to know. 

“Anything interesting happen since summer?” asked Midori.

“Kind of,” Shiro looked to Keith, who was spaced out eating his meal, “we got a new neighbor this semester. They are really sweet and kind. One of them attends class with Keith and the other with Pidge.”

“Well, isn’t that ironic?” said Kenji, “have you taken the time to actually befriend them?” 

Keith grumbled. He hated that even his family knew his distaste of meeting new people, “Yeah… Pidge made sure Lance and I had all of our classes together, so we decided to be study partners.”

“That’s good. At least you’re opening your friendship scope,” replied Kenji.

“More than that,” added Allura, “they went out last night, the four of them… to a club.”

Kenji and Midori dropped their forks in gasp.

“You went out!” screamed Midori.

“Yeah… no big deal,” replied Keith.

“No big deal! Keith, you've been closed off to yourself since you turned seventeen. We told you to concentrate on your studies and to get into a good college, but we didn't mean for you to ever give up your social life,” said Kenji.

“We always wanted you to have a well rounded life, never one only filled with books. We value your intelligence, but your happiness as well,” said Midori.

“I know that… I learned that a long time ago, but I always felt that having Pidge was enough,” he replied.

“But even Pidge wanted more. Where as she seeked it, you closed yourself off,” said Shiro.

“Takashi is right,” Midori reached for Shiro’s hand, “look at him. He's getting his master's degree and is at the top of his graduating class, but he still takes the time to meet people and socialize.” She smiled towards Allura.

“But what if I don't want  _ those  _ things?” asked Keith.

“We told you when you came out that it didn't matter to us who you brought to this table as long as they treated you with the respect and love you deserve, but if you're asking if we require you to bring someone, the answer is no. We want you to find happiness in all aspects of your life, even if it's just through friendship and your career. But you should have both, not just one.”

Keith pushed his food around with his fork. He couldn't look up at them, a reaction he had from years of living with them and having to face their reality. 

“We’ll change the subject… what classes are you enjoying this year? It must be a relief to finally be studying only for your major,” asked Kenji.

Keith grinned to one side of his face, “Yeah… I'm loving every second of it.”

The dinner went about talking about the different planes in history he was learning and the functions of each one. Eventually, the conversation turned to Shiro and his new set of students and Allura’s doctoral report and research. The conversation stayed deep and academic, but the moment Keith allowed Lance’s name to slip from his lips, he went on as if it had been no big deal.

They had every class and studied every school day together; there was no avoiding mentioning his name. 

To Keith it appeared as part of the conversation about his studies, but Allura noticed the twitch of his lips, curling upward when Lance’s name fell from his lips.

She grinned to herself and refused to comment, but she made herself and only herself aware of what Keith couldn't admit to himself.

# 

“One Lance special in your requested cup.” Lance waved the opening of the fresh brew underneath Keith’s nose. Keith followed it like a dog with a treat and snatched it from Lance’s hands before he pulled it away.

Inhaling it one more time before taking a sip, he could feel the rich caffeine already doing its work.

“Bless you. May your heaven be filled with all your heart’s desires,” whispered Keith into the mug as they walked to the elevator.

Lance took a sip from his own mug and chuckled, “Every morning?”

Keith stepped closer to Lance to push the button to the first floor. As the doors closed, the drowsiness from the previous night’s long ride home still pounded against his head. Rubbing his eyes, he shrugged his shoulders and put his forehead on Lance’s, “I'll repay you by finding you the perfect make out  _ male tail  _ I can find.”

Lance swallowed his coffee and looked away from Keith. With a nervous jitter, he replied, “Deal…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are all liking it. Thanks so much for the comments and kudos. You guys rock! See you next Sunday! 
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. -Luna

_ Natalie: LETS GO TO A BAR?!  _

_ Lance: Sis, are you okay?  _

_ Natalie: Yes! I'm perfectly fine. _

_ Lance: You've never asked me to go to a bar with you. _

_ Natalie: 1) Cause you weren't twenty-one yet. 2) You were still living with Mamí and Papí. _

_ Lance: 1) 21st b-day isn't for another two months. 2) SERIOUSLY?!  _

_ Lance: You live in Orlando… does that mean you're coming to town :D _

_ Natalie: Yep! Markus has to attend a conference for his internship on Saturday morning. We’re staying over at Miguel’s and I figured we could all hit up a bar and dinner Friday  night.  _

_ Lance: if you can figure out a way for me to get in, then I'm down. Maybe get Hunk in too? _

_ Natalie: I'll see what I can do. Feel free to invite anyone else. The more the merrier!  _

_ Natalie: Te extraño!  _

_ Lance: Miss you too! Besos!  _

_ <\\\> _

“What’s all the giggling about?” asked Keith as he sucked the last drop of his soda from his cup. The lack of caffeinated heaven was making him slightly tired. He knew he had become addicted to the  _ Lance Special. _

“It's my sister. She wants to go to a bar Friday night, but I have no idea how she's gonna get me in.”

“Sister?” Keith tried remembering if he had met a sister the day Lance moved in, but no matter how hard he tried, it didn't come to him.

“Yeah. She’s in Orlando with her boyfriend studying theater. Seems they are coming to Tampa for the weekend.” Lance allowed himself a small smile, catching Keith off guard.

“You close?”

“Yeah. We all are. We’re that crazy family with all the  _ Latino _ kids that seem to always get along, but we argue a ton.” Lance laughed, remembering fond memories of his siblings growing up.

“Do you like it?”

“Like what?”

Keith shifted in his seat, looking out the window of the Student Union, “Having so many siblings?”

“It's fun… never boring, but also never quiet. Sure at times I want to have some peace to myself, but now I miss them more than ever…” Lance smiled, “Don't you have Shiro?”

“Yeah… but it's not the same…”

“You guys look like you get along.” Lance finished his pizza and turned to stare at Keith. It didn't make sense - how could someone not get along with such an awesome guy as Shiro.

“We get along perfectly. Honestly, I don't know how I can live my life without him… but, it's just a different kind of reliable.”

Lance could tell by the wandering gaze and the closed off arms that there was something Keith wasn't saying, but that asking would do nothing. 

“Different family dynamic?” asked Lance.

“Yeah… let’s go with that.” Keith stood up taking his backpack and trash. He waited for Lance before making their way to the library. 

They followed the same route as before, already becoming a habit between them. Once they reached their hidden corner of the library, they sat down at the same double seated desk and prepared their materials.

Now, both equip with their own tablets, they went on to studying, looking to each other only for questions or assistance. Their minds were completely locked in their textbooks, but at glances, they would shift in their seats and move closer to one another. 

They separated only when Lance’s phone buzzed again.

<\\\>

_ (Group Chat: Hermanos)  _

_ Natalie: <Link to YouTube:  _ [ _ https://youtu.be/VK4Wk_8PbcI _ ](https://youtu.be/VK4Wk_8PbcI) _ > _

_ Natalie: Listen to the track and prepare for Friday. Lance, we will meet at your apartment as Miguel says you've set up you webcams to the television. We will Skype at 5pm. _

_ Natalie: I will be texting your role by end of day. :) _

_ Miguel: Seriously? That is pretty last minute.  _

_ Lance: I have my first test coming! Now I have to study this too?  _

_ Ricardo: Armando says he wants Burr. _

_ Natalie: I’ll consider the casting choice… when is Mamí gonna give him a phone? _

_ Natalie: You other two, don't back out on me! I demand this performance. _

_ Miguel: I wasn't backing down. I'll do my part. _

_ Lance: Same. _

_ Ricardo: Christmas… finally. _

_ Natalie: Excellent to all! Besos!  _

_ <\\\> _

Lance shook his head.

“Confused?” asked Keith.

“No. My sister just texted my brothers and me. Seems we are going to have our traditional gathering.”

“What is that,” Keith whispered to be courteous to the other’s studying.

“My sister will make my brothers and I do a lip sync performance to a song… she believes it gives her luck before an audition.”

“She's an actress?”

“Wants to be an actress,” he corrected, “since high school she hadn't landed any major roles. Knowing her, it's a big one if she’s expecting us to do it over Skype.”

Keith thought about it for a minute. The idea of being so close to one's siblings that important things, like life changing jobs, needs to be shared with each other perplexed Keith. He never had that and never thought of creating a bond such as that. 

“Then, I wish her luck.”

<\\\>

_ (Group Chat: Hermanos) _

_ Lance: Keith says good luck on your audition. _

_ Natalie: Who’s Keith? _

_ Lance: Neighbor across the hall. We happen to be in the same major, so we have our classes together and study together. He’s cool. You’ll like him. _

_ Miguel: The skinny kid with the mullet? _

_ Lance: Yep. _

_ Ricardo: Everyone is skinny next to you Miguel. :p _

_ Miguel: Puta!  _

_ Ricardo: I regret nothing. _

_ Natalie: Are you inviting him to the bar? _

_ Lance: I was thinking about it. All my neighbors are kind of cool. _

_ Miguel: Shiro would be fun to invite (another one of his neighbors that happens to teach one of my classes). _

_ Lance: I'll invite them. Good? _

_ Natalie: YEAH!  _

_ Lance: Cool. _

_ Ricardo: I hate you guys for leaving me and me not being 21. _

_ Lance: Soon, little leap frog… soon. _

_ <\\\> _

“Sis wants me to invite you guys to the bar with us. Wanna come?”

Keith raised an eyebrow, “Sure…”

“I’ll invite everyone else later. Gonna have to work on an ID for Pidge and Hunk though…”

Keith stayed silent, watching Lance a texting conversation with Pidge and Hunk. Lance looked so concentrated and happy - really happy.

Keith wondered what it was about Lance that kept intriguing him. He always seemed so casual about everything, easily including anyone in his life without any qualm or worry. 

Keith could never do such a thing, always taking his time to think of every step he took - he couldn't make a mistake again. Never again.

“Aw man!” said Lance, little too loudly for the library. He was hushed by some of the other students.

Keith leaned in to Lance, “What’s wrong?”

“Seems Pidge, Hunk, and Matt are going to be pulling an all nighter on Voltron Saturday night. They won't be able to come.”

“Well, she did say their first competition is in three weeks. We’ll all go out another night.”

“Does that mean you won't go either!”

Keith winced at Lance’s pouting face. “I'm still going and I'll ask Shiro and Allura…” He felt the need to be defensive.

“Alright… good!” Lance was hushed again.

“Let’s just keep studying and I'll talk more later.”

Lance agreed and grabbed his tablet - from there they returned to their usual routine and comforting closeness.

#

<\\\>

_ (Group Chat: The Fosters) _

_ Garth: Hey guys! Good news, Levy has just given birth to my adorable new son! His name is Sam!  _

_ Garth: <Attached Photo> _

_ Matt: Holy cow man! That baby is adorable! Totally got all his looks from his mother. _

_ Garth: Fuck you! _

_ Keith: Sorry, gonna have to agree with Matt. Congrats, man. _

_ Garth: Thanks. Levy is such a trooper. She nearly broke my hand. _

_ Barry: Which you deserve for knocking her up! Lmao! At least you decided to not be a dick and stay by her side. _

_ Garth: HEY! I am not my parents, I'm gonna always stick by this kid’s side. And I love Levy! Only reason we ain't married is because we agree we’re still too young.  _

_ Keith: Smart. Although, why not purpose? _

_ Garth: … _

_ Barry: Still no promotion? _

_ Garth: -_-  _

_ Matt: There’s the answer.  _

_ Garth: I'm trying! _

_ Barry: I'm sure. _

_ Keith: Sucks… hopefully it gets better soon. Don't want Sam ending up like you. _

_ Matt: 1 point Keith… KO! _

_ Garth: I hate you guys. _

_ Barry: Love you too, bro! _

_ <\\\> _

“Damn it, Nat! Get off!” screamed Lance, “Markus, don't just stand there. Get your woman off of me!”

Lance laid on the floor. His carefully combed hair and outfit now wrinkled by Natalie tackling him the second she walked into the apartment. Miguel, Trish, and Markus stood by the door, simply watching.

“You know I don't control her,” laughed Markus.

“Oh - Lance, I can't believe how much older you look!” She squeezed him.

“It's only been a month!” He finally pushed her off and got back up, adjusting his black vest and tight fitted shirt. 

“But I hadn't seen you on your own. It's like you suddenly got older!” She laughed and fixed her dress. Looking at her wristwatch, she leaped up. “It's almost time… setup, setup!”

Lance dragged Hunk into the living room to help with the camera while the rest started moving around the couches.

“Hey, can you see us?” said Ricardo as he appeared on the television screen.

“Yeah!” screamed Natalie, “it's so awesome to see you guys. I miss you!”

“We miss you too Natalie!” said Armando as he pushed Ricardo out of the way.

“ _ ¡Mis hijos, juntos otra vez!” _ screamed Melly from the background. She quickly turned the corner to pop her head into the screen, “We are here to watch, as always.”

“Hello!” yelled Henry, “I'm ready to watch!” 

Lance couldn't stop the smile on his face. It pleased him to see that some things would never change. No matter the distance, his family would always be supportive and do anything to keep each other happy.

Today - it was their turn to put Natalie’s nerves at bay and they gathered, as a family, to do a silly tradition that had no real rhythm or reason to it, but it meant the world to her and that is all that mattered.

Markus took a seat beside Trish at the dining table. Hunk grabbed them some drinks as they waited for it to start.

“Don't tell Nat, but I always found this to be adorable,” whispered Markus to the two.

“Completely agree,” said Trish.

The McClain clan enjoyed some talking and catching up for a bit as the other three sat together and talked. 

“So, how has college life been treating you and Lance?” asked Markus.

“Great. I've joined a robotics team. It's why I'm not coming tonight. We are working on our robot for competition. Lance has been having a great time too. We've made some good friends,” replied Hunk.

“Good. I'll tell you, I don't regret leaving that small town. It's given us so many chances,” said Markus.

“I couldn't agree more. Miguel and I are so happy he found work here in Tampa. We hope to stay settled here,” added Trish.

“I'm liking it more and more each day,” said Hunk.

Markus turned and smiled as Natalie prepared her brothers for what was about to transpire. He couldn't help but admire her long wavy brown hair and deep brown eyes as they gleamed with excitement. She was more than he ever expected, especially from their boring hometown of Arcadia.

“Alright guys, let’s do this!” she yelled.

Their parents disappeared from the screen, assuming their position behind the camera to watch. 

Scrolling through her phone, Natalie found the song and plugged it into the connection port so it would play in sync and clearly from both sides of the conversation. 

The selection was new for the family; Natalie is currently obsessed with the Broadway musical,  _ Hamilton.  _ She gave the role of Hamilton, the lead, to Ricardo. As requested, Armando would be Burr. She took on Laurens, Miguel took Mulligan, and Lance was given Lafayette.

They stood in place, ready to begin as Natalie pushed play. The music boomed within the small apartment. It wasn't loud enough to disrupt anyone, but it was enough for all of them to become engulfed by its hip hop melody.

Each of them knew their part perfectly. Although none were actually singing, their lips stayed in sync with the music. They danced with each other as the beat changed, almost to the point it seemed choreographed, though they still stumbled.

They interacted with each other, even through the television; playing off each other perfectly.

As the music continued, Hunk heard someone knock on the door. Answering it he greeted Keith with a wave.

“What’s going on?” Keith asked as he walked in and heard the music. He didn't need Hunk to answer, seeing Lance with his sister and brother dancing and lip syncing to  _ My Shot.  _

Keith stood frozen as the siblings suddenly stopped to snap their fingers along with the song. None of them noticed him arrive, going on with the song and each other’s passionate, yet humorous, performance.

Hunk motioned for Keith to sit beside them. Curious to see what would happen next, he sat and just watched.

“ _ Let’s get this guy in front of a crowd,” _ lip synced Natalie.

They all started dancing wildly. Keith watched the two brothers on the television perfectly interacting with the three standing in front of him. They all shook their hips to the music, never losing the beat and always keeping together.

“ _ Everybody sing!”  _ lip synced Natalie.

With that cue, both parties went crazy. Ricardo and Armando started bouncing around the whole floor; at one point Ricardo picked up his younger brother and swung him around.

In the apartment, Natalie and Miguel started popping their hip together and in unison as Lance jumped onto the couch and started swinging his hips.

Keith couldn't look away. 

They were so happy, perfectly content with the mayhem they caused together. More so, he lost himself to the hidden sway of the hips he saw in Lance again. It was just like at the club. Lance would dance, becoming clear that he knew how, but it still seemed held back. 

“ _ Rise up. When you’re living on your knees, you rise up. Tell your brother that he’s gotta rise up. Tell your sister that she's gotta rise up…” _

They all rolled their hips, bending at the knee as they lowered their bodies and then popping it back to a standing pose. Keith refused to look away as Lance displayed himself above the rest, enthusiastic with the both music and his siblings. 

“ _ When are these colonies gonna rise up? When are these colonies gonna rise up?”  _ they all lip sang together. 

They were in a place of bliss, encouraging each other to lose themselves to the music and to feel their bond even though they couldn't stand beside each other. It was nothing like Keith had ever seen. He never thought this kind of bond could exist. He closed himself off to this type of world and now - handing and watching it displayed before him - all he wanted was to become a part of it.

“ _ And I am not throwing away my shot!” _ they actually shouted as the song was drawing to its end. They dance around any corner their foot would allow them to reach. It chaos only bringing Keith a smile as Lance and Miguel high fived each other across the room.

_ “And I'm not throwing away my shot!”  _ they yelled; the song fading away within their screams.

Miguel and Lance bear hugged Natalie, holding her tightly in their arms, “Good luck, Nat!” 

She held back her tears as she opened them to see Armando and Ricardo throwing her kisses and then their parents coming into view screaming their words of encouragement. 

“ _ Mucha suerte,”  _ said their parents.

“This is normal?” asked Keith to the table.

Markus, Trish, and Hunk laughed, “Yep.”

After a few more air kisses, a single joyful tear from Natalie, and Lance and Miguel squeezing her one more time, they logged off from Skype and finally turned around.

Lance panicked immediately when he saw Keith.

“Oh - who are you?” asked Natalie without any quam.

Lance dashed to Natalie’s side, grabbing her shoulder and pulling her back before she reached the table, “This is our friend, Keith… he’ll be joining us.”

“Oh - Keith! It's nice to meet you!” Without hesitation, Natalie removed herself from Lance’s grip and went over to Keith for a hug. 

He sat in awkward surprise, not knowing what to do next. No one had immediately greeted him in such a way in the past. The gesture foreign to his understanding of meeting others - he never even did this with Pidge.

Trying to be courteous, he patted her with one arm in a light hug, “It's nice to meet you too? Is everyone in your family this friendly?” 

“Mostly Natalie,” replied Miguel as he grabbed a drink from the fridge.

“I'm sorry,” she pulled back, “I like to hug people. Was that too forward?”

“No… no, just shocked is all. Not used to it, but not against it.” He chuckled lightly at the situation.

“Well, I'm Natalie, Lance’s older sister. This is my boyfriend, Markus. I assume you've met Miguel and Trish.”

“During the move in,” smiled Trish, “he also met my little one… I must say, it's a relief to get a night off.”

“Don't get too crazy. Babysitter is only around until one AM,” replied Miguel, “Is Shiro coming?”

“Yeah. Him and Allura,” replied Keith. He noticed a weird nervousness in Lance; jittery for some strange reason. “My brother and his girlfriend,” added Keith for Natalie’s understanding.

“Wow,” she turned to Miguel, “I know you said this was going to be a bunch of coincidences, but that's really pushing the  _ It's a Small World  _ to a whole new level.”

“Told you.”

“Is it really that strange?” asked Keith.

They all answered expect for Lance, “Yes.” 

Keith shifted in his seat, uncomfortable, but he couldn't stop staring at Lance. “What’s with you?”

“Huh? Me? Oh - nothing…” 

“He’s embarrassed,” replied Natalie, “he doesn't always show off his complete silly side to his friends.

“He doesn't?” It surprised Keith to hear as he always thought Lance was on the outrageous side - to think there was an even sillier side intrigued him.

“Moving onto the next subject!” yelled Lance as he began to roll up the sleeve of his shirt.

“Yes! Bar time!” yelled Natalie with too much enthusiasm.

“Shiro said to knock on his door when we were ready,” commented Keith, standing up, “we can start heading out.”

They all agreed, but Lance paused for a moment, “Need to grab something quick, I'll come right out. Keith, stay behind. Miguel we’ll meet you all outside. Hunk?”

“I'm gonna go with them. Pidge and I were gonna meet Matt at his place. Might as well go now since they’re all knocking,” he replied.

They all agree, except for a confused Keith.

Lance stepped into his room as the rest stepped out of the apartment, leaving Keith to linger alone in the common area. He waited for Lance to tell him something, wondering what was going on and why he was asked to stay behind. He fixed the sleeve of his leather jacket and belt on his dark denim pants. 

“Come over,” shouted Lance from his room.

Keith followed, but lingered at the door frame, “What is it?”

“We on for tonight?” asked Lance as he pulled on a loose light jacket that hung from the shoulders over his rolled up long sleeve fitted shirt. 

“Wingman?” asked Keith. He rubbed the tip of his nose with his hand, “Yeah. If you want.” 

“Do you?” Lance stopped mid-shoe tie to look at Keith. Something inside of him felt  _ hopeful _ , but for what, he wasn’t completely sure.

“Yeah. I mean Shiro will be there so it won’t be anything like the club, but if you see someone you think would be a good fit, go for it. And you? Only men?” 

“Naw -” Lance returned to tying his shoes and kept his gaze away from Keith, “if you wanna try hooking me up with a female, that works too. Natalie and Miguel are used to my flirtatious ways.” 

“Alright then…” Keith’s words trailed as he started to mess with his hair.

Lance stood up, grabbed his wallet and pocketed it, “Alright then…”

For a moment, they both stood facing each other, neither moving to the exit, nor towards each other. They both held awkward grin, but avoided direct eye contact.

Neither understood why they were dissatisfied with the other’s response. 

Lance broke the tension, “Let’s head out.” 

“Yeah… let’s…”

<\\\>

_ Keith: Problem. _

_ Pidge: Solution? _

_ Keith: How do I not flirt with Lance? _

_ Pidge: I’m sorry…. Repeat yourself?  _

_ Keith: I won’t…  _

_ Pidge: So, you like him? _

_ Keith: No…  _

_ Pidge: … _

_ Pidge: I can’t help you if you’re not honest. _

_ Keith: I don’t like him… but I like flirting with him. It’s… _

_ Keith: Easy… _

_ Pidge: Lust? _

_ Keith: I guess I can admit that to a degree. _

_ Pidge: You’re being uncharacteristically forward about this. _

_ Keith: Now you know why I’m slightly panicking.  _

_ Pidge: Well, don’t panic. What’s going on that brings this up? _

_ Keith: We’ve been at the bar for two hours and we said we were gonna help each other out like last time, but neither of us have left the table and… I notice we keep getting closer.  _

_ Pidge: Cute. I’m picturing it and it’s cute. _

_ Keith: SHUT UP!  _

_ Pidge: So, how is this a problem?  _

_ Keith: I don’t want to ruin the friendship… I’ve come to like it.  _

_ Pidge: Pidge = 8, Keith  = 0 _

_ Keith: I’m done with this conversation. _

_ Pidge: NO! Look, honestly this is up to you. If it bothers you that much, make a conscious decision to stop. Maybe move seats? What is he doing right now? _

_ Keith: Don’t know. I’m sitting in a bathroom stall. _

_ Pidge: God…. -_- _

_ Pidge: Just, do what you want. If you like flirting with him, do it. If it bothers you to the point it scares you or you might ruin something, then stop. This is your choice, Keith. _

_ Keith: How are you younger than me again? _

_ Pidge: Change is a part of life… stop being afraid of it.  _

_ <\\\> _

Natalie slid into Keith’s seat as the jazz band took their break. She’d had a little more to drink than expected, but her control of her intoxication was envied by all. Placing her chin on Lance’s shoulder, she began to whisper, “Keith’s cute.” 

Lance turned to his drunk sister. Himself buzzed, he smiled with his response, “Yeah. So?”

“So?” she looked at the table and gave everyone a wave, that she would return back from the bar with Lance in a moment. Looping her arm around Lance’s, she dragged him to get another drink and to speak privately. “Don’t  _ so _ me? I see the two of you flirting.” 

“What?” Lance spoke defensively, “You’re seeing things.”

“Am I?” she raised an eyebrow as she ordered her and Markus a refill. “Lance, I’ve watched you flirt with men and women for years. I know that spark in your eye when you want to catch something. Do you like him?” 

“Hm… no…”

“But?” she knew there was more.

“But…” he groaned, rubbing the back of his neck, “I don’t know… we kissed once…”

“You did!” she gleamed, “And?”

“And I liked it, but he only did it to give the impression we were together so another guy wouldn't back off.” 

“But you liked it? Who cares what the reason was, give it a shot!” 

Lance thought back to the following day at the club -  _ El dia que casi nos besamos, de nuevo -  _ The day we almost kissed, again. 

It had played on repeat in his mind ever since, always bursting into his mind whenever they were alone; which was a lot since they spent almost every waking moment together in school.

He wondered what it meant, but he played it off like some fluke that he never got the chance to see if maybe there was more - at least a part of him hoped. 

When the bartender gave Natalie her drinks, Lance ordered two more. “If I did… how do I do it so that I won’t ruin everything?” 

Natalie smiled, “Just try and do what you’re already doing! You guys are clearly flirting, so now just be aware of it.”

The bartender gave him two unopened ciders, “Why do you always put ideas in my head?” He laughed as he took the drinks and asked them to put it all on Miguel’s tab. 

“ _ Porque te quiero. _ ” She hipped checked him before walking back to their table. Markus took his drink and pulled Natalie back to her seat. Miguel and Trish deep in a heavy conversation with Shiro and Allura about school and life. 

Lance stared at the empty chair where Keith sat and noticed just how close it was to his own. He sighed and reminded himself  -  _ “You will never kiss Keith again… you swore...” _ \- but the second drink in his hand, the closeness of the chairs, and the memories of their dance spoke otherwise.

He took his seat and placed the secondary drink where Keith had kept his. He waited and kept quiet as the jazz band returned for more.

Allura clapped in excitement and noticed Lances stance; he relaxed his body on the back of his chair and dropped his arm on the backrest of Keith’s chair. She noticed the new bottle of cider waiting for Keith’s return and the consistent moving of Lance’s lips, a nervous tick.

She giggled to herself and didn't say a word, hopeful that everyone else would do the same if they were to notice.

Keith started to make his way back to the table. He placed his phone back in his pocket and grabbed the hair tie from his wrist and started to pull his mullet back into a low ponytail. He froze for a second when he noticed Lance and how relaxed he seemed against the chair reserved for Keith.

_ “Remember what Pidge said…” _ he encouraged himself.

Approaching, he stopped before sitting and pointed to the cider, “For me?” He had to speak slightly over the music, but Lance was able to pinpoint what he had said, nodding as a response.

Keith cleared his throat and looked around the table - no eyes on them. All were focused on the band and their drinks.

Keith slid into his seat without acknowledge Lance’s arm, but he knew - he was very aware of it and how it would appear. He sat up straight, allowing his back to rest on the parts of Lance’s arm that leaned closer to him. 

Lance adjusted himself in his seat, trying not to make it a big deal. He leaned forward slightly to take his drink and enjoy. Keith grabbed his own and tilted the neck of the bottle to Lance. The music got louder, which gave Keith an excuse to lean into Lance’s ear, “Thanks for the drink. You didn't have to.”

Lance smiled, “No problem, bro. Next one's on you?” He laughed, trying to make light of the situation. 

“Deal.” Keith lightly elbowed Lance side as he waited for a tap of their bottles from Lance in acknowledgement.

Lance took his bottle and tapped Keith’s; both exchanging an odd, but knowing glance before drinking their ciders. 

They didn't speak much again, enjoying the music playing before them. Keith leaned closer to Lance as the music started to take him over. 

He loved music more than anything else in the world. He could lose himself to any genre and simply listen to the tune or the words and relate it back to something in his life. His fingers fiddled along with the strumming of the smooth guitar.

Lance leaned over after a few songs, “You seem to like them.”

Keith leaned back but kept his eyes on the musicians, “I love all kinds of music. These guys are really good.”

“Cool.” Lance whispered back.

It startled Keith, feeling Lance’s breath against his ear. He reacted by quickly turning his head. They found themselves only inches away, easily able to feel each other’s breath against their cheek. 

Keith turned bright red as Lance couldn't stop grinning like a fool.

“Yeah,” replied Keith, unable to turn away, “it's really cool.”

Lance moved his arm resting on Keith’s back closer, moving the hand to rest on Keith’s arm. The touch intensified Keith’s blush as he cleared his throat, “My round?”

“Oh - um… yeah.” Lance took his cider and chugged the remainder of it, “Go ahead.” Lance leaned away from Keith to allow him to leave and removed his arm from around him.

“Come - come with me?” insisted Keith.

Lance grinned, “Sure.”

As the two stood up to walk to the bar, Natalie and Allura watched from the corner of their eye. Then, they met each other’s glances and smiling pleasantly to each other.

“Restroom break,” said Natalie.

“I'll go with you,” said Allura.

The boys looked to Trish. She shrugged her shoulders, “I don't have to go.” She laughed and let the other two ladies leave without her.

Keith took a deep breath as they reached the bar. He ordered two more drinks and then turned his back to the bar, leaning his arms back and returning to the music.

He glanced over to Lance and notice Lance fiddling his fingers against his leg as he kept looking around the bar. 

Keith wondered and decided to ask, “Got your eye on someone?”

Lance overly reacted, “No! Just - just looking around the joint. Wanted to see if there are any other areas to hang.”

“There’s a patio outside with a secondary bar,” said Keith as the ciders were handed to him. 

“Wanna…” Lance took his drink and drank a quick swig, “wanna step out for a minute.”

“Um… sure…” Keith led the way and turned to see Allura and Natalie staring at them, giggling, as they returned from the restroom.

He didn't like the sound of it, but pressed forward.

As they arrived, the music of the jazz band became background noise as more people stood around at the standing tables and enjoyed conversation. Lance found an empty table and pulled Keith’s forearm towards it.

When they arrived, he immediately let go and leaned his elbow against the table.

“What’s up?” asked Keith, more nervous than he expected.

“Just wanted to get away from the older kids,” laughed Lance.

“I wouldn't be talking if I were you,” Keith joined Lance at leaning against the table and whispered, “wouldn't want anyone knowing you snuck in.”

“Shhh! Don't play around. I wanna keep having a good time.” He gave Keith a sideways grin, “you having a good time?”

“Music's great, drinks are tasty, and the company is good. Yeah, it's a chill evening. Much more to my liking,” said Keith, “your siblings are cool. Must be interesting coming from a family of five kids.”

“It's interesting being the middle child. Although, there is no middle kid syndrome here. All of them wish they were me,” he joked.

“Yeah,” Keith laughed, “I'm sure.”

“Shiro is pretty awesome too. Must have been great growing up with him.”

“Yeah,” Keith suddenly got quiet, “you could say something like that.”

“There it is again,” Lance stood up and put a hand on his hip, “anytime I mention you and Shiro you get all  _ weird _ . You guys seem to get along, so what’s up.”

“It's a long story… and it's all in the past. If it helps, I can reassure you we get along perfectly well and there is nothing negative between us…”

Lance raised an eyebrow and poked Keith on the shoulder, “There’s more and I expect to hear it someday.”

“Keep praying,” chuckled Keith as he took a sip of his drink. His eyes started to look around the patio.

“Anyone interesting?” asked Lance, deadpan.

“No… not even looking really. Just observing the crowd in general.”

“Then… no wingmanning tonight?” Lance watched Keith for a response. He felt that depending on his answer, would depend where the night could possibly go.

_ “You will not kiss Keith Kogane again… unless he says so…” _

“Let's cancel those plans,” replied Keith, putting his empty bottle down, “this night doesn't seem to call for those kinds of things.”

“Oh? Then, what kinds of things does it call for?”

Keith shrugged his shoulders, “Talking. Listening to jazz music. Hanging. Drinking causally… what does it mean to you?”

“Same things and then some…”

“Then some?” 

Lance opened his mouth to reply but held back his tongue. He didn't want to be the forward one. He couldn't allow himself to be. “Just keeping an open mind, is all.”

“About…” Keith paused and decided he needed another drink, but he couldn't help himself. He knew that his best efforts of saying anything on his mind always related back to an escape plan.

He had his escape if needed - now to simply say it.

“Me?” Keith started walking towards the bar, leaving his words to linger away like a floating cloud above Lance.

After registering what he heard, Lance reached over and grabbed Keith’s arm, “What does that mean?”

_ “Abort mission… it's a failure. Go! Go!”  _ Keith’s mind retreated like he would on a raid in  _ Destiny. _

“I - uh - nevermind…” He attempted to walk away.

“No way!” Lance’s face was stern, harder than Keith had ever seen it before. “I'm just gonna say it! Damn it… I can't stop thinking about that kiss and that almost kiss…” Lance’s face fell flushed, bright red coloration attaching themselves to his cheeks.

“Me… me too…” Keith’s body loosened, “but I don't want to ruin the friendship…”

“Yeah…” Lance’s hand fell off his grip of Keith, “me either…”

“But…”

“But?”

They both stayed silent, neither knowing what to say; what to think. There had to be an answer here, something that could justify both their needs.

They both wanted to remain friends and bring no tension to the friendship.

They both wanted to taste each other once again.

None of it made any sense to either of them, never experiencing such a confusing thought of emotions before. They both had crushes in the past - this didn't feel like then. They both had significant others - this didn't feel like then. They both thought someone across the room was attractive and wondered what it was like if they could be with them - this didn't feel like then.

They didn't know what this felt like.

Lance broke the silence, “So what now?” 

“I don't know…” 

Lance rubbed his hand on the back of his neck, “How about we start with another drink and just keeping going… like normal.”

“Normal? Like, everything?”

Lance knew what he meant, “Sure… why not?”

Keith gave him a small smile, “Alright then, let’s grab a drink.” He reached over for Lance’s arm and pulled him to the bar. They grabbed their drinks and decided to walk back to the table, but it was different.

The tension was gone and they both felt relaxed, but close - really close. 

When they sat down, they joined the others without skipping beat, returning to listening to the music. Only as the night progressed did they sneak in some new  _ normals _ .

Keith leaned closer to Lance when he whispered in his ears. Lance slipped his hand onto Keith knee when he leaned closer to the table.

They slipped their hands into each others when no one looked.

It felt odd - but good. 

They both realized, that for them - maybe this was normal.

#

“See you all tomorrow,” waved Allura as Shiro opened the door to their apartment.

“This was fun. We should totally do it again,” suggested Shiro.

“Totally! My siblings had a great time. I'll let them know. Good night,” said Lance.

“Night!” Shiro and Allura entered their apartment.

Lance and Keith stood alone in the hallways, neither walking closer to their door. Keith kept his hands in his pocket, swinging back and forth on his feet. 

“Well, it was fun,” said Lance.

“Yeah,” replied Keith.

“It was…” they both said in unison. They laughed, nervous of how to end the night.

“I don't want to say this is like friends with benefits. That doesn't seem right,” said Lance.

“Yeah… but what is it? I like what we have,” replied Keith, “I like you as my friend, but I like how we interact.” He blushed his face away.

“Yeah… me too… so, maybe this is what our version of wingmanning is?”

“Huh?” Keith stood confused.

“Hear me out. Maybe, for us, this  _ interaction  _ is part of the friendship, but we keep watching each other's back for potentials.”

“Um…” Keith had to think about it. It made some sort of sense. It wasn't friends with benefits, per say, but at least it wasn't denying the odd feeling they had with each other, “Sure… I guess. Yeah, that sounds right.”

“Alright… then, it's established.” Lance stood there, hands on his hips and not looking away from Keith with one thought on his mind - will there be a kiss?

He couldn't make the first move. It wouldn't come to him. He couldn't seem to figure it out, but he also didn't want to be the first to leave.

Lance waited for Keith to make a move - any move would do. After their night at the bar, Lance would be satisfied with a kiss or not. He had fun and he got to openly flirt with Keith; it felt like enough.

Now, standing here, it felt selfish, but he preferred to wait and give it a chance than not wait at all.

“Alright then,” said Keith pulling out his keys, “I guess this is good night.”

“I guess so…”

Keith gave him a big smile and turned around to open his door. Begrudgingly, Lance turned around and started to do the same. As the key clicked the lock open, Lance felt a tug on his arm as he was swung around.

Keith planted his lips on Lance’s, placing his free hand on the back on Lance’s neck. Lance didn't take long to join in the moment and returned the passionate kiss. 

Both had had drinks, but neither was at the point where they would consider this moment a drunken misstep. 

This was consensual and sensual. Lance dropped his hands on Keith’s jacket and yanked him closer, daring to slip his tongue in just enough to lick Keith’s lips. 

When they parted, a sensation shivered up both their spines.

“That works,” commented Lance.

Keith bowed his head bashfully, but not regretfully. “Yeah…” he chuckled.

They let go of each other and walked to their own apartments. Neither realized, but both of them leaned their backs against their door once inside. They took a deep breath and breathed out a smile.

They had found each other's ultimate wingman.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SONGS: "My Shot" from Hamilton the Musical. 
> 
> YAY Wingmen with benefits! lmao.
> 
> Thanks so much for the overwhelming level of support from the last chapter. You guys are all amazing! I can't believe how blessed it felt to see you guys are enjoying. 
> 
> I'm very excited for what is coming for out lovely boys. See you all next Sunday. Thanks again for the Kudos and Comments, you guys seriously make my day when I get them :)
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year to all! I hope 2017 is awesome. 
> 
> For today, I release the newest chapter. Hope you all enjoy. See you at the end notes.
> 
> -Luna

_ (Group Chat: Team Voltron) _

_ Pidge: Good news from last night. Seems we are in the competition! Our robot qualified and our first tournament is in two weeks! Here is the link to buy tickets! _

_ Pidge: <Link> _

_ Matt: I'm pretty proud of the work we did last night. _

_ Hunk: for sure! This is going to be exciting. _

_ Allura: Uncle Coran says it's the best robot design he’s seen in years. Buying mine and Shiro’s ticket now. _

_ Shiro: Get Keith’s too. _

_ Allura: Alright.  _

_ Lance: WHOOT! Totally getting my ticket! Will be there with bells on!  _

_ Hunk: You can be the mascot. _

_ Lance: Can I wave a giant flag around with my face on it? _

_ Matt: How about it says Team Voltron on it instead? lol _

_ Lance: That works. G2G, spending my Saturday with sis and bro. ¡Hasta luego!  _

_ Pidge: Crazy excited! Let’s get matching shirts! _

_ Hunk: In! _

_ Allura: For your fans too!  _

_ Pidge: Done! Getting a design set up now. _

_ Keith: What’s happening?! You guys are buzzing my phone so much it woke me up! _

_ Pidge: No time to rehash. Just scroll up and catch up. _

_ Pidge: GO TEAM VOLTRON! _

_ <\\\> _

_ Lance: You're cute!!! _

_ Keith: What?!  _

_ Lance: Scared you, didn't I? ¡Jaja! It's Natalie, I stole Lance’s phone. And he can't get it back until he tells me what happened last night! _

_ Keith: Why? What happened last night? _

_ Lance: Don't you play games with me! I know for a fact something must have happened between the two of you.  _

_ Keith: How do you even have his phone? _

_ Lance: I'm locked in the bathroom. :D _

_ Keith: Why?!  _

_ Lance: I wanted to talk with you. I’m happy you texted me back. You should hear him screaming through the door. Its very funny. _

_ Keith: Nothing happened last night. _

_ Lance: Bullshit! I saw the two of you flirting! Come on, I promise I won’t tell.  _

_ Keith: I swear. We are just friends. _

_ Lance: … _

_ Lance: … _

_ Lance: You’re no fun! _

<\\\>

_ (Group Chat: The Fosters) _

_ Garth: We raiding tonight? _

_ Keith: Don’t you have a kid to take care of now? _

_ Barry: Regardless, I’m good after 5pm. _

_ Garth: Night off. Mother-in-law has him. Levy is there too. They’ll be out of town for a few days. _

_ Keith: Then, I’m good after 3.  _

_ Matt: 8? _

_ Garth: 8 it is! Keith, I can get on at 3 and we can train up a bit. Maybe some strikes? _

_ Keith: Sounds good. Hear you all soon. _

_ <\\\> _

_ Lance: Sorry about my sister. I waited until I got home to text you. _

_ Keith: Come over… bring the stuff to make coffee. _

_ Lance: What?! It’s 10pm.  _

_ Keith: I need coffee. _

_ Lance: Is everything alright?  _

_ Keith: I need coffee. Explain when arrive. Door unlocked. Walk in. _

_ Lance: Okay… be there soon. _

_ <\\\> _

Lance kept his hand on the doorknob for five minutes before deciding to turn it. It felt odd for him to just walk into Keith’s apartment without really much of a reason - okay, he had a reason. Keith requested coffee - his coffee - and how could he say no to that.

Plus, there was always the chance of continuing where they started the night before.

He blushed at the thought and opened the door. To his surprise, he found a cleaned, but chaotic studio apartment. To the right corner was a full size bed with red sheets scattered about, but only because it looked like he had just crawled out of it. To the left was the doors to the closet and bathroom. At the entrance was the small kitchen, barely enough to fit two people with a bar table set with two high chairs. What took Lance mostly by surprise were the decorations of the apartment. Almost every inch was covered in a variety of posters - from band posters like Franz Ferdinand and The Beatles, to movie posters like  _ Mars Attacks, MIB,  _ and  _ Scott Pilgrim vs The World.  _ Right above his bed was a map of the video game world  _ Destiny  _ and  _ Legend of Zelda. _ Sitting against the wall to the closet was a set of two guitar cases and an electronic keyboard. Then, to the direct back of the room was a small two person couch with a TV and entertainment center. That is where he found Keith, wearing a headset and yelling at the video game he was playing.

“To your left!” screamed Keith as he moved his character to shot a sporadic ball of purple towards a group of enemies. 

Lance sighed realizing, very quickly, why Keith needed the coffee. Keith didn't notice Lance set himself up in the kitchen. He placed the bag on the counter and pulled out a tin filled with the mixed coffee grounds, a cup of creamer, and some sugar.

“Mugs?” he asked.

“Top cabinet to the left of the stove,” replied Keith without once acknowledging Lance or taking his eyes off the game.

Lance shook his head, grabbing two cups. “Coffee filter?”

“Cabinet next to the sink.”

He found it and started prepping the small coffee makers. He watched Keith as the coffee dripped into the pot. Keith kept to his game, shouting curse words to a person name OutragedKid83. Even though the screen showed that four of them were playing. As the last drop fell, Lance quickly made two cups and walked over to the couch. It was snug, but Lance figured if the kiss from the night before indicated anything, sitting closely on a couch was nothing major. 

Lance waited for a moment where he noticed there was a pause.  _ Mission Accomplished _ flashed on the screen and his character boarded a spaceship. Then, Lance took his chance. He moved the cup underneath Keith’s nose and teased it back and forth. Keith appeared like a hungry cat, following the scent until he finally dropped his controller and grabbed the mug. 

“Hello darkness, my old friend,” he whispered into the cup as he took the first sip.

“Nice to see you too,” replied Lance. 

Then, Keith realized his positioning. Lance had arrived at his apartment. Lance had prepared him coffee. Lance was sitting beside him on the couch with only an inch of separation. 

Keith jolted upward, only being careful with his coffee to not spill a drop. “When did you arrive?!” 

Lance laughed, leaning back on the couch and drinking his coffee, “Like fifteen minutes ago. Made the coffee and everything right here. You answered my questions and everything. Man, you are crazy focused when you want to be.”

“I guess I am…”

“Red, who you talking to?” asked a voice from his headset.

“Do you have a guy in your apartment!” asked another.

“Oh man, does Red have a boyfriend! Finally!” said a third voice.

“Will you all shut up!” blushed Keith, shouting too loudly.

“What’s going on?” asked Lance.

“Sorry, my clan is busting me for having a visitor. They can be annoying at times,” replied Keith. “Taking a break. Be back in thirty,” he said into the headset. 

“Sounds good. Outrage out!” 

“Can someone teach him how to shoot,” said AllAboutThatBass.

“We’ve tried. The kid likely made his skills decrease,” laughed Poke_It_With_A_Stick.

“Whatever guys! Red out,” said Keith as he turned off his headset and left his ship float in orbit, “Thanks for making me coffee,” Keith moved his headset to sit around his neck as he started to enjoy his coffee, “I’m in for a long night and I needed the boost.”

“Of gaming? Didn't make you out as much of a gamer?”

“Yeah. Helps keep the mind busy, plus let's me spend time with old friends that don't live here anymore.”

“You used to have friends?” Lance laughed.

“I swear you guys are all horrible!” Keith over exaggerated, “when I was in middle school I had a tight group of friends, but mid high school we all started moving away and we lost touch… only recently have we reconnected and I'm the only one still in Florida.”

“Oh - well that sucks that you guys lost touch…” He wanted to learn more but the sadness that crept into Keith’s eyes spoke of a deeper story that wasn’t right to tell - at least not now, ‘But it’s good you’ve reconnected and started making new friends!”

Keith smirked, “Yeah… around that time is when I met Pidge… don’t know what I would have done without her. Don’t tell her, but she’s like my fairy godmother. Always looking out for me and advising me to do better.” 

“That’s like Hunk for me. Well, kind of. I’ve always had a decent and happy childhood, but Hunk had some troubled times when he was a kid. After his mother passed away, he got all depressed and sad. Me, being the punky young five year old that I was, decided to make him my pet.” Lance laughed remembering a small Hunk always looking pathetic and humdrum, “We got really close really fast and he’s been like a brother to me ever since. His dad is awesome, but always had to work extra hours when we were young, so Hunk always hung out with us and became a member of our family. Now, I can’t imagine a holiday without him and his dad there.”

“Sounds to me like you were the fairy godmother in that story.” 

“I guess I was… I’m pretty awesome!” 

They both laughed and kept enjoying their coffee.

“Did you finish your report for Wednesday?” asked Lance as he took both their cups for refills. 

“Yeah. On Thursday. Why?” Keith removed his headset from around his neck and placed it on the floor. 

Lance shrouded himself in agony, “How did I know! Arg - I can’t seem to start it!” 

“Why don’t you get your laptop and notes and I’ll help you out as I game. Tomorrow is Sunday, so you can sleep in and I’m gonna be awake all night anyway.” 

“You serious?!” he screamed from the kitchen, “You are a godsend!” 

“Just keep making me coffee and we will be good.”

“Are you addicted? Do you need an intervention?”

“Just shut up and bring me my coffee or I won't help you.”

Lance pretended to lock his lips with a key. In a few more seconds, he brought Keith his second cup. Keith snuggled himself onto the couch and crossed his legs within his seat. He looked up to Lance and wondered why he didn't sit.

Lance wondered what to do. He was just sitting on the couch but something about not being in a coma of video game play made the sudden closeness of the couch all the more realistic and nerve wrecking. 

“Are you not gonna sit down?” asked Keith, obvious to what Lance was thinking.

“Okay…” Lance took a seat, shifting himself in. Keith’s crossed knee ended up sitting on his lap. 

They enjoyed their coffee; Lance more nervous than Keith. There was something different about being in Keith’s apartment. It wasn't like his own where being in the living felt like a common area for anyone to enjoy. It felt more personal.

The whole apartment was basically his private room. No walls separated his bedroom from his living room or kitchen. Everything was out in the same space, nothing left for the imagination. Adding his decorations, Lance felt as if he was seeing into the mind of Keith without his permission.

“You've got a lot of posters,” said Lance.

“Yeah… well, I like a lot of things.” Keith shrugged away his response. He kept his eye on the clock, mentally counting down to when he would return to the game, but then he looked to Lance and if clicked in his head.

Lance and him were alone in his apartment - in  _ his _ apartment.

He wondered if he should be as bold as the night before. He enjoyed the result, but it was unlike him to do such a thing. 

It was parts of him forgotten that seemed to reappear when Lance made his mind confused. 

“You - um - wanna do anything before my next raid?” He sipped his coffee and looking to Lance. 

“Like, what? Watch a movie?”

“Don't have time for a movie… only got twenty more minutes until my next raid.”

“I don't know… you got anything in mind?” Lance kept oblivious, mind focused on his coffee and the excitement of getting help for his paper, until he felt Keith shuffle closer.

“What are our terms?” asked Keith; the boldness returning.

“Terms?”

“This is pretty much all your idea, the whole  _ Wingman  _ thing, so what are the rules. It's easier for me to understand if there are rules.”

“Oh - yeah…” the image of last night's kiss returned again causing Lance to smile. “Um - I guess the first question is what are we comfortable with. I like what we've already got going. The flirting and what not…”

“I can agree to the  _ what not _ ,” he chuckled, “what about people who know?” His mind darted to Pidge and her, likely, unacceptable response to this whole ordeal. She would not approve one bit.

Lance’s mind went to Natalie and her meddling ways. If this morning indicated anything, it was best to keep what they had a secret.

“Just between you and me. It's not like we're dating or starting a relationship…”

“No, we’re just having some  _ fun.” _

“Hopefully, lots of fun.” Lance blushed at his own words. Keith giggled in response.

“Alright, and we keep helping find the other someone,” added Lance.

“Yes. Open eyes at all times.”

“Then, I guess those are the terms. We don't tell anyone. We keep hunting for each other and we keep flirting… and what not…”

Keith uncrossed his legs and closed the space between them, “And what not…”

Now with their terms set, Lance no longer had a reason to hesitate. He didn't want this time on a couch to be like last time. Grabbing a hold of Keith’s black shirt, he yanked him toward his lips and began to start their new agreement.

Keith shuffled closer, guiding his hand to the back of Lance’s neck.

_ I want to brush my fingers through his hair. _

Keith’s fingers started to play with Lance’s hairline. The softness of his short brown hair felt wonderful against his fingers. They pressed lightly against his skull, leaving a massaging sensation that immediately drove Lance mad. 

_ I want to taste his neck.  _

Lance felt encouraged to be daring. He left Keith lips only to nibble downward and kiss to the base of his neck. The sweetness of Keith’s skin left him awed, never expecting him to be so delicate and soft. As he proceeded to Keith’s collarbone, Keith tugged at Lance’s hair. The yank making Lance only continue his furious neck kissing.

_ His body aligned perfectly against mine. _

Keith pulled Lance away from his neck, only to give him room to lie back and for Lance to hover over him. Lance pressed his chest against Keith’s, hands wandering around his body as he returned to tasting Keith’s neck.

_ I want to kiss him again. _

Lance returned his lips to Keith’s slipping his tongue in and intensifying the passion.

It felt right - it all felt right. Both men not resisting a single action from the other and engulfed by the reassuring nature of the other. Only in time, did they realize what led them here and how this one moment changed everything between them, but there were no regrets.

Their lips spoke of no regrets.

With a cry from his television, Keith heard his clan members calling to him. With the headset off, their voices echoed through the speakers of the television.

“All we’re missing is Red. Anyone wanna text him?” asked OutragedKid83. 

“I've got it,” said AllAboutThatBass.

Keith sighed at their voices and lightly tapped Lance as a signal to stop, “I guess it's raid time…”

“Yeah…” Lance grinned blissfully, having enjoyed every second of their session, “I guess. I'll get my laptop and notes. You're still gonna help me, right?”

“Yeah, totally. That hasn't changed. Regardless of the terms, the most important is that we’re still friends… right?”

Lance gave Keith a quick kiss, “Totally right. Be right back.”

Keith stayed lying in the couch for a minute, trying to regain his breathing. His hands rested on his lips, trying to control the warmth rushing his cheeks. When his phone buzzed is when he finally sat up and grabbed his headset.

“Red in… hey guys,” said Keith.

“Perfect! Take us to Mars,” said OutragedKid83.

Lance quickly returned with his shoulder bag. Looking around he wondered where he could set up. Looking to Keith, he had already started his raid, shooting at aliens with his pulse rifle.

For once, Keith wasn't completely focused on the game. He turned to Lance and motioned for him to come over. For a second, he turned off the headset, “You can grab a pillow from the bed and lay it on the floor. If you sit in front of me I can look at what your writing and my game.”

Lance agreed and reached over to the deep red pillow of Keith’s bed.

_ Keith’s bed _ \- the thoughts that crossed Lance’s mind only made the red of his cheeks match the bedding.

Lance placed the pillow in front of Keith. As he unpacked his laptop and tablet, he hadn't noticed Keith wiggle the pillow between his feet. As Lance sat back, he rested against the bottom of the couch and between Keith’s legs. It felt easily inviting and warm to be in this intimate position against Keith. 

Once comfortable, Keith turned his headset back on and kept playing, glance down every so often at Lance’s work. 

They sat in each other’s comfort. They were close again, but now it was equally welcomed by both. 

By the third raid, the clock was nearly four in the morning. Lance had almost completed his assignment with the guidance and support of Keith as he played his game. Only so often would he become distracted, finding the raging of the RedPalentin2, Keith’s gamer tag, oddly adorable. 

When Lance typed up his final word, he stretched his arms up feeling the exhaustion of the time kicking in. 

“One more raid,” said Keith as Lance began to pack his belongings.

“What?”

“We’re doing one more raid… stay.”

Lance didn't bother to object, but before he could stand up from the floor to sit on the couch, Keith locked him in position with his legs, looped his hand on Lance’s shoulder and placed his chin on top of Lance’s head. He played his game in that position and Lance loved the closeness of Keith.

They didn't speak, but Lance intensely watched the game and quickly got drawn into it. He shouted along with Keith and even raged when he died four times in a row.

As the raid ended, Keith loosened his arms around Lance and sighed, “Alright. I'm done. Time for sleep. Night guys.”

They all screamed good night as Keith turned off the system. He removed his headset, but didn't move away from his position on Lance. “What time is it?”

“What time is the sun suppose to rise today?” replied Lance pointing out the window.

Keith groaned, “I remember now why I don't do this as often anymore… we should get some sleep.”

“Yeah…” But neither moved until Keith felt his head fall back. He broke the position, tapping Lance on the back to stand up. Lance proceeded to follow, grabbing his bag and heading to the door. 

Keith followed, but neither opened it as they turned to each other.

“I'll leave the coffee and stuff here, so I can make you some when I come over,” said Lance.

“I could always learn how to make it.”

“You can.”

“I won't though. I enjoy being spoiled.” He chuckled lightly through a yawn. 

Lance shook his head and grabbed the back of Keith's head. Pulling him closer, he kissed him one more time, “Get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow for class and I'll have your coffee.”

Keith grinned, “Sounds like a plan.”

Lance left the room; Keith closing it behind him. 

Keith went straight to bed, falling face forward. It didn't take him much time to sleep, but his mind drifted away into his dreams - reenacting his stupendous night with Lance.

<\\\>

_ Hunk: Lance came home at 6am this morning. I didn't even know he was out. _

_ Pidge: is that odd? _

_ Hunk: yeah… he normally tells me everything.  _

_ Pidge: seems to me blue lion is keeping secrets. _

_ Hunk: he convinced you of the names, didn't he? _

_ Pidge: yes sir, yellow lion. _

_ Hunk: anyway, I think he went out with that guy from the club. He’s been playing around with the number all week. _

_ Pidge: Maybe. _

_ Hunk: anyway, I just wanted to say how weird that was. We still meeting for lunch? _

_ Pidge: yeah. Matt and Coran will be paying.  _

_ Hunk: awesome! _

_ <\\\> _

_ Pidge: Keith, wanna join me for lunch? Matt’s paying. _

_ Pidge: Keith free food! _

_ Pidge: what the hell?!?! Answer me!  _

_ Pidge: I just checked the PS4 network, you were raiding last night and didn't invite me! Dumbass! Don't complain about missing out on a free meal! :p _

_ <\\\> _

“Wake up!” screamed Pidge kicked Keith off the bed. She stood on the bed, looking down at him, “it's almost five in the afternoon. You keep sleeping, you won't be alert for tomorrow.”

Keith rolled over and groaned, but knew Pidge was right. “Food?” 

“I brought you some left overs. Was inviting you to lunch with Matt, Hunk and I, but you were asleep.”

She climbed over Keith and went to the kitchen, placing a plate of Chinese in the microwave. “What game did you play?”

“ _ Destiny _ . The boys say hi.” He stood up from the floor and dragged himself over to the bar table.

When the food was ready, she served it to Keith and leaned against the table. “Tell them Hi back and when will I be meeting them?”

“As I've said dozens of times, I don't know. But when the time comes, you will.”

Keith silently ate his meal as Pidge started to waddle around his room. She noticed the pillow on the floor, but thought nothing of it, “You think you’ll be fine for tomorrow.”

“Yeah… I should be. I'll just take something to knock me out later.”

“Hunk told me something interesting this morning,” Pidge bounced onto the couch, “Lance came home this morning. Hunk thinks he’s dating that guy from the bar.”

“He is.” The words came out of Keith’s mouth without hesitation. He was used to lying - at one point in his life it had been his one means of survival.

“I figured you knew.”

“I am his wingman, after all,” Keith smirked at the double meaning of the term. 

“I'm gonna tell Hunk… wanna play some  _ Mario Kart _ at their place?”

“Sure, but give me an hour to shower.”

“Okay. I'll leave you alone then.”

Pidge left the apartment using her spare key to lock the front door. Keith went for a shower after eating. After removing his shirt, he saw a deep purple mark on his collarbone. He shook his head, grateful that it was located in an area easily hidden by his shirts.

<\\\>

_ Keith: Told Pidge you are dating that guy from the club. Seems Hunk saw you coming home this morning. _

_ Lance: NICE COVER! There is a reason you're perfect for this job. _

_ Keith: You also left me a hickey on my collarbone. Be careful next time. _

_ Lance: All I read was “next time.”  _

_ Keith: … _

_ Lance: I will… but you taste so sweet. _

_ Keith: I, what?!  _

_ Lance: Too forward? _

_ Keith: Just surprising. Is this a new you I should look forward to? _

_ Lance: Having terms has allowed my mind to understand what this is… so yeah. I'll stop if you don't like it. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: … _

_ Lance: … _

_ Keith: Don't.  _

_ <\\\> _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh the fluff. It's only getting fluffier from here on in. 
> 
> Changed the story to mature as I am considering adding some smut (a really detailed smut), but I wanna hear your opinion. 
> 
> Smut or no smut (it would be very loving and adorable fyi). Let me know. :)
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Sunday! 
> 
> Thank you so much for the comments and the feedback on the smut question.
> 
> YES, smut will happen, but it's still gonna be along time before it happens. Don't worry, I have a lot of melodrama and fluff to compensate for now. 
> 
> Enjoy. 
> 
> -Luna

_Lance: <Image attached> _

_Keith: What is that?_

_Lance: My new French press coffee maker._

_Keith: okay._

_Lance: I'm looking at making some nice fall blends for October._

_Keith: I assume I can sign up for taste tester._

_Lance: I already had you on the list._

_Keith: Perfect_

_Lance: You're my best costumer. lol._

_Lance: Are we studying at your place again?_

_Keith: Yeah. Since it's Friday, want me to grab some ciders? Figured we could all meet up for some takeout before Pidge and Hunk have to leave for Voltron stuff and then you and I can study._

_Lance: and maybe some other stuff?_

_Keith: Huh?_

_Lance: SERIOUSLY?! We've been doing this whole arrangement for two weeks and I still have to remind you._

_Keith: No, I just enjoy watching you overreact when I pretend to forget._

_Lance: There is an evil side to you?_

_Keith: Maybe._

_Lance: Hunk and I will come over at 5._

_Keith: See you then._

_ <\\\> _

Tomorrow was the big day - Team Voltron was going to its first robot fighting competition. Pidge, Matt, and Hunk were on workload maximum, trying to perfect their little robot of destruction.

What they didn't know was their frequent meetings became Keith and Lance’s chance to sneak around undetected.

It became a bit of a game. Pidge would pick up Hunk and Lance would wait patiently for him to descend the elevator. Then, Lance would cross the hall and spend time with Keith until just before midnight.

Their time together was simple. They would study - actually study, to Lance’s dismay - but the sessions had moved from the library to Keith’s apartment. They would sit on the couch, nonchalantly cuddling against each other.

The only thing different was now they would reward each other’s efforts with an hour of making out.

It came to a point that Lance started working faster at completing his assignments. He hated to admit how much he enjoyed his time alone with Keith. It relaxed him and allowed any edginess from his frustrations with the work to disappear.

Keith realized what he was doing and after Lance’s last failed exam grade, forcing Lance to take his time to study, using their sessions as motivation.

It only took Lance one day to learn how focused Keith could really be.

He pushed himself to finish his work in record time, but as he moved toward Keith for his signature _Lance Cuddle Bundle,_ Keith slid away and stole his paper.

“All of this is wrong.”

“What?” Lance looked to him with a pouting face.

“Your paper. It's all wrong. Do it again.”

“No way.”

“Then, no kissing.”

“You wouldn't dare.”

“Watch me.”

Keith handed him the paper and moved all of his study materials away from the couch and onto the kitchen counter. He stayed there the whole time.

Lance turned on the couch like a puppy and begged Keith to return, but Keith kept ignoring him.

It took all afternoon for Lance to finish his paper, but once it was done, Keith rewarded him with a quick kiss.

“Next time do it right or don't bother thinking your gonna get to sit next me again. More failures and we’re gonna study in the library again.”

“I despise you!”

“If you do, then drop our agreement.” The wick smile of Keith’s secretly drove Lance mad; haunting him even in his dreams.

A lot of things about Keith were driving Lance mad. His off chance smile. His perfectly framed idiotic mullet. His almost violet eyes. His attraction to plaid shirts, tight pants, and leather jackets. Even his motorcycle started to bring him an odd pleasurable rise.

Lance wanted to ride it - among other things.

Still, he reminded himself that it was all part of their agreement - they were each other’s wingman with some benefits.

Some very heavy and intensely satisfying benefits.

<\\\>

_Pidge: Foods here!_

_Hunk: Coming!_

_ <\\\> _

Lance had to pretend he hadn't been there before.

“Nice posters,” he commented.

“Yeah,” Keith grinned as he gave them each a plate and opened the boxes of pizza, “I like a lot of stuff.”

Same response. Same causal reaction.

Lance placed his satchel on the floor beside the couch, pretending to look around just as he had before.

“You brought your study material?” asked Keith as he took his slices of pizza to the couch. Pidge darted to nab the second seat on the couch, much to Lance’s disgruntled feelings.

 _“It's fine… that was likely her seat before it became mine…”_ His mind oddly kept going into those places - confused but clearly selfish thoughts of anything related to Keith.

“Yeah… we’re gonna study here?”

“Yeah. Since we’re all having dinner here, might as well make you stay.”

Lance took the second seat on the barstool beside Hunk.

“I've been wondering why you guys even studied in the library. Outside of the lab, Pidge and I study at our apartments. You guys should just do the same,” said Hunk.

“It is quieter,” added Pidge.

“I guess we’ll see how it goes today and then maybe make it a normal thing,” said Lance. He smiled knowing this was their in for no longer having to hide Lance sneaking into Keith’s apartment. After today, it wouldn't be suspicious if he walked out at two in the morning.

“How are things going with you and that guy in the bar?” asked Pidge.

“Oh - pretty good,” replied Lance. He sometimes forgot their cover, but luckily was easily jolted back to it.

“You haven't really visited him recently,” said Hunk.

“No… only a few times during school.”

“He’d abandon me for lunch,” added Keith. Lance raised an eyebrow at the shockingly easily way Keith could add to the lie, “More reasons why he keeps failing his classes.”

“It's not my fault he’s easily distracting.” Lance gave Keith a sly grin.

“You're own fault. You could always resist,” said Keith.

“Maybe I will.”

“Maybe you should.”

Both stopped eating, glaring at each other.

“Awkward…” sung Hunk.

“Are the two of you okay?” asked Pidge.

“We’re fine,” they both muttered.

It was difficult to admit, even to himself, but Keith hated the lie. Not the lie of hiding his affair with Lance from his friends - there was no guilt about that - but about the fake boyfriend or guy he was dating. It irritated Keith and he didn't know why.

Logic told him it was all a cover for them, but his unstable mental state said that it was a roadblock, but what it was blocking was unclear.

Lance was disliking Keith’s attitude. In the recent month, he noticed a new found aggression from the cutie. He wasn't verbally or physically abusive, but he aggressively seem to step away from Lance at any given moment.

At least since that one day at the library.

“We’re never studying in the library again,” said Keith.

“Okay - may I ask why?” replied Lance.

“I prefer the quiet of my apartment, among other things…”

“Oh -” Lance blushed, “okay…” as he turned to grab his things, Lance smiled at a girl from across the classroom.

Keith coughed loudly to get Lance’s attention, “Ready?”

“Yeah…”

It was the same dance anywhere they went and the result of the day would still include at least an hour of their session, but it seemed disjointed and disconnected. Lance couldn’t put his finger on what was wrong, but there was something different growing inside of Keith.

Now, they kept their eyes averted from each other as they kept to the regular rhythm of their day around Hunk and Pidge.

“Did you guys get the shirts?” asked Pidge as she tried to change the thick mood of the room.

“Yes!” Lance became suddenly hyper, “I love the change up in colors!”

“Figured I’d give everyone their lion color,” she smiled with pride.

“See, I told you they were good people. Only good people like the whole pride thing,” elbowed Lance to Hunk.

Hunk chuckled, “Wait until you see Voltron. All of us are represented.”

“I’m crazy excited for tomorrow! You guys are gonna kick some major robot ass!” said Lance.

Pidge adjusted her glasses, allowing it to appear like a devilish fog of ambiguity crossed her eyes, “You have no idea.”

Keith shiver, “Remind me to take a jacket… chilling…” Pidge laughed.

Pidge’s phone buzzed, “We need to get going. Matt wants to leave.”

“Alright,” Hunk stuffed his face with the remainder of his pizza and grabbed another box to go, “We’ll see you guys later!”

“But I was gonna make the _Lance Fall Special!_ New French press…” pouted Lance.

Pidge and Hunk laughed. “I’m sure Keith will chug it all anyway,” said Pidge, slipping on her boots.

Keith turned on the couch and draped his arms on the back rest, “It’s true.”

“Wish us luck!” screamed Pidge with a small jump of excitement, “bright and early tomorrow!” They left with Pidge locking the door behind her.

Keith and Lance stayed in silence for a bit. They didn’t need to say anything as if flowing into a natural pattern of movements between the two. Keith grabbed Lance’s satchel and started to plug in the laptops and set up his materials around his side of the couch, following with repeating the steps with his own materials.

Lance took the extra bag he brought with him and set up for making coffee, only this time he only boiled plain water from the drip coffee maker to add to his new French press.

The moment Keith walked over to the kitchen and leaned over the counter did Lance break the silence and opened a small tin. He slid it over to Keith, “Smell it.”

Keith did as he was told, smelling the grounds. They were robust and felt like a punch directly to his nose. The coffee grounds were stronger than he ever smelled, but there was an after sweetness he couldn’t completely comprehend.

“What is that after scent?”

Lance laughed, taking the grounds back from Keith and scooping some into the French press.

“It’s a blend of vanilla bean and coffee from the Costa Rican rainforest. I then added a hit of italian roast to make the flavor even stronger.”

Keith’s mouth started to water, “It’s like you’re trying to arouse me.”

Lance hiccuped and bit his lip. He proceeded to make the coffee, adding the hot water from the coffee maker into the French press. After some stirring, pressing, and waiting, the coffee was ready. He took some crystalized sugar and added them to the cups. “Just a little to give it some sweetness, but this has no creamer.”

He gave Keith his cup and then stepped back to lean against the fridge. He wanted to watch all of Keith enjoy the richness of his new blend and hoped his efforts were satisfying.

Keith stood up as he smelled the coffee. It made him shiver with delight, forcing him to exhale through his mouth. The first sip was electrifying, enjoying the strong taste of the roast with the aftertaste of vanilla.

Lance smiled seeing the blissful look of pure joy on Keith’s face. He placed his mug down on the table, keeping his hand looped on the handle of the mug. “Good?”

Keith reacted instinctively. He put the mug down and darted to Lance, making sure he had enough balance against the fridge to not lose his footing. He planted his lips on Lance’s and moaned lightly in response to his gratitude for the coffee. Lance let go of his mug and returned the kiss. He hadn’t expected such a reaction, especially since only moments ago he seemed to be so hostile while Pidge and Hunk were in the room.

Then, something jolted Lance’s attention. Keith’s hand slipped underneath Lance’s shirt.

_His hand is touching underneath my shirt._

It had never happened before. In the two weeks they started the new terms to their wingman experience, both men had kept their hands outside each other’s clothing.

They hadn’t discussed further physical actions which caused a hesitation between both of them. That was an intimate act - a very intimate act - and Lance prided himself for being a flirt, but enjoyed keeping that act for only those he was dating.

_Everyone has the right to do with their bodies as they want, but I prefer to save myself for people I consider special._

What shocked him more was how much he didn’t want to stop Keith. They weren’t dating or looking into getting into a relationship with each other, but then, just as Keith pulled himself away, Lance realized something - _why?_

Lance stood frozen watching Keith return to his coffee. He scooped the mug into his hands and started to casually make his way to the couch, as if what he had just done to Lance meant nothing different.

But it was different - it was very different - and Lance didn’t know how to handle it.

“It’s devine,” finally spoke Keith as he sat down on the couch and set his coffee on the coffee table.

“Oh - good,” Lance swallowed air in nervousness. He gathered his mug and went to the couch, trying his hardest to act like everything was normal, “I brought enough to make more.”

“I’m good with the one for now. I bought the ciders like I said… figured we’d celebrate our last exam.”

“You’re the only one who should celebrate. You passed it with a ninety-eight.”

Keith chuckled, “A seventy-two is passing.”

“Barely!”

“Well, if you concentrated more on your studies then it would get better. I said I’m here to help.” Keith turned to Lance and noticed how intently he was staring at him. “Is something the matter?”

“No - well, kind of…” Lance bit his lip, “are you hating this agreement?”

“I’m positive the kiss I gave you in the kitchen stated otherwise.”

“Then, why the hostility at times?”

“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Seriously? Just now with Pidge and Hunk, you were acting weird and you’ve been doing it a few times recently.”

Keith adjusted himself in his seat. He moved his laptop onto his lap, but looked to Lance, “Sorry… I guess I never noticed.”

“Oh… well, then, there. Now you can notice.”

_And about the hand under my shirt thing…_

Lance wanted to say it, but Keith left him in this place of limbo where the last questions felt unanswered, but left no room to discuss further.

Keith almost spoke, wondering what it was Lance was seeing, but then Lance’s phone buzzed.

<\\\>

_Natalie: I got the part!!!! OMG, I got the part I wanted!!!!!_

_Lance: HOLY COW!!!!! Congrats!!!! What’s the part?_

_Natalie: Rizzo from Grease! :D_

_Lance: No way… NO FREAKEN WAY! HOLY CRAP THAT IS THE MOST AMAZING NEWS EVER! I AM LITERALLY JUMPING ON THE COUCH!_

_ <\\\> _

Lance was literally jumping on the couch.

“What happened?” Keith asked all confused.

“Natalie got the part of Rizzo in _Grease_. This is the best news ever! She’s wanted to be Rizzo since we were kids.”

Hearing Lance made Keith smile. The visible excitement for his sister was endearing and heartwarming. “She never wanted to be Sandy?”

Lance stopped jumping and leaped back to a seated position, “Are you crazy? Who wants to be boring Sandy? Have you ever watched _Grease_?!”

“Tons of time.”

“Then, how do you not realize Rizzo is the best character and most complex?”

<\\\>

_Lance: Keith just asked why you aren’t Sandy. I told him he obviously doesn’t get it._

_Natalie: OBVIOUSLY! Rizzo is the best character._

_Lance: I know! I told him that. He seems confused. I may have to make him watch it and explain it to him._

_Natalie: You need my character notes?_

_Lance: Naw, I still remember from the last time you gave me the character study._

_Lance: He says congrats, however. He’s really happy for you._

_Natalie: Tell your future bf thank you so much. I’ll get him tickets for when you come to see me._

_Lance:..._

_Lance: What have I said about calling Keith my future bf?_

_Natalie: Perdóname yo no hablo inglés._

_Lance: ¡Keith no es mi novio de futuro!_

_Natalie: I’m sorry I don’t speak spanish._

_Lance: Damn it, Nat!_

_ <\\\> _

“I’m changing our plans today,” said Lance as he furiously put his phone in his pocket, “when we are done studying, we’re going to watch _Grease._ I can not continue letting you live your life without realizing Rizzo is the best character in the movie. You need to prepare yourself to see Nat live one of her dreams.”

Keith raised an eyebrow, “What? I’m going to see her play?”

“She said she’s gonna get you a ticket. Do you not want to go?”

Keith, yet again, was surprised at how easily Lance put him in his life. He realized, now with Natalie, that it was a McClain family trait. “I do… just surprised is all. Yeah… we can do _Grease_ tonight. It’s not like we have class tomorrow. It should be on Netflix, but I will do it under one condition.”

Lance leaned back, slightly scared, “What?”

“You actually take your time to study. No rushing.”

Lance smiled, “Deal.”

Lance kept his end of the bargain. He kept asking Keith questions as they went through the study questions and, eventually, starting on a term paper ahead of schedule. Keith only stood up once to get some ciders for each of them. It eased any tension there was in the room.

For Lance it was the crazy amount of work that came from their classes.

For Keith it was the question Lance had posed earlier - Was he being hostile around Lance? He hadn’t noticed a change in his personality, but if Lance had mentioned it, it must be true.

He started to wonder what it could have been. Nothing had really changed since they started the agreement and every night Keith went to bed with a satisfied grin on his face. He liked what they had - it felt comfortable and natural.

Maybe he wasn’t holding the other end of their terms. It had been a while since Keith attempted to spot someone for Lance. On the other hand, Lance hadn’t really spotted anyone for Keith either, but they hadn’t had the time to go out since the bar with their siblings. Their studies and homework had tripled.

Around midnight, they both reached a stopping point in their studies. Keith took Lance’s work and began to review it. Lance crept behind Keith’s shoulder, watching his every move as he checked the work. A few misleading facial expressions later and Keith turned to face Lance. With a quick kiss, he stood up, “I got some cheese chips if you wanna snack on those while we watch.”

Lance leaped in his seat, “Yes! Totally! More cider too!” Lance started to pack up his study materials and Keith’s.

Within a few minutes, he had cleared everything away from their area and Keith had returned with drinks and snacks in hand. Turning on the PlayStation, Keith went to Netflix and begun _Grease._

“Stop!” Lance snatched the remote from Keith’s hands and paused the film, “this is not some basic watching of the movie. This is a character study. I will be controlling the film and pausing, rewinding, and quizzing as we go.”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“More serious than I’ve been so far.”

Keith laughed, “Alright. I’m all ears.”

Lance did just as he said, stopping the movie several times to detail the complex character that was Rizzo. Moreover, Keith was impressed by his knowledge of the play. It was obvious that the film and musical had been a huge influence on Lance and his siblings lives.

What became more interesting was how relaxed they were with each other. By halfway through the movie, Lance found himself lying on Keith’s lap, looking up when giving him lessons. Keith kept brushing his fingers through Lance’s hair and Lance would lift a chip to Keith’s mouth to eat. They would only separate when Keith would go get refills of their drink, but would immediately go back to their positions.

_This feels like a date…_

Lance couldn’t help having and enjoyed the thought. It was a different feeling than before, genuinely enjoying Keith’s company, even without the kissing.

As the credits rolled and Lance moved his head to the music on Keith’s lap, the time had been past two in the morning. “Crap!” said Keith, “we have to be up by six to leave for the contest.”

“Shit… I nearly forgot.” Lance bolted out of his comfortable position on Keith and started to head out the door. Searching through his bag he realized something missing. “Where are my keys?”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t find my apartment keys.” The memory struck Lance like lightening. Hunk had been the one to lock the apartment door and Lance left his keys on the desk in his bedroom. “Damn it! I can’t go knocking on the door! That would be super rude of me to wake up Hunk before his big day.” Lance groaned, hating himself slightly for his selfishness.

“Then, sleepover,” suggested Keith.

“Are - are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Keith started to walk over to his closet, “There is room for two on the bed.”

_Two? Don’t you mean there is room on the couch?!_

Lance internally panicked, not wanting to let his thoughts creep outward, “Alright.”

Keith walked out of the closet in red flannel pajama bottoms and a black tank. “Go ahead in my closet and grab some pjs if you want.” Keith started to crawl onto his bed and adjusted the pillows to give Lance some space to sleep.

Lance dropped his bag near the entrance of the room and blinked a few times before entering the closet. Once inside, Lance could smell Keith surround him. All of his clothes smelled like him and it only made Lance more nervous.

_What is Keith thinking? How is he taking this so nonchalantly? Am I overreacting?_

Lance hastily took a pair of black pj bottoms and changed. Tossing his clothes near his bag, he strolled over to the bed, trying his best to not make a big deal out of this.

“Alright, you can sleep on this -” Keith lost his train of thought. Lance stood at the edge of the bed wearing his black pj bottoms without a shirt.

Lance was standing in front of Keith without his shirt.

Keith shook away a fleeting thought and turned back to the blankets, “ - side of the bed. Good?”

“Yeah. That works.” Lance started to crawl on the bed, trying to quickly get comfortable and well adjusted on the bed. He could feel Keith doing the same and, within seconds, the lights were turned off within the apartment.

They kept their backs to each other. Both minds finally realizing the positions they put themselves in.

_I’m sleeping on his bed._

_He’s shirtless on my bed._

_This doesn’t mean anything._

_This doesn’t have to mean anything._

_Should I wish him good night?_

_Do I just keep my back to him?_

_It’s fine… just be natural._

_Nothing needs to change._

Keith felt a tug of his tank from his back. He turned his head to see Lance, completely covered to his neck by the blanket.

“Night Keith.”

Keith grinned, turning himself to face Lance. Nothing had to happen; he was overreacting. “Night Lance.”

Lance reached his hand out of the blanket and pulled himself by Keith’s neck. He kissed him sweetly and gently, nothing remotely close to their passionate sessions, yet Keith enjoyed it - he may have enjoyed it more.

Keith placed his hand on Lance’s and pulled back, “We need to sleep.”

“I know… I just wanted to get at least some kissing in before I dozed off.” He laughed.

“Yeah?” Keith moved closer to Lance. The blankets kept them separated, but they pressed against each other as they kissed again. It kept light, but it was enough to erase all the maddening thoughts running through their minds.

When they both decided to stop, they learned their foreheads against each other.

“Good night…” said Lance, his eyes drifting closed.

“Good night…” Keith yawned as they fell asleep.

#

“Let’s go Voltron, let’s go! Let’s go Voltron, let’s go!” shouted Lance, Keith, Shiro, and Allura from the stands.

The small arena was filled with fans within the stands and even though they were all loud, no one could compete with Allura and Lance’s hollering. They held up a homemade banner - from Shiro’s sheets, much to his disagreement - that read in colorful letters Team Voltron. Allura had drawn Matt, Pidge, and Hunks faces on the corners of the banner with her uncle’s signature mustache on the final corner.

Team Voltron had made it to the final round, already placing them to go to the state competition, but that didn’t stop Pidge from thirsting for first place.

Their small robot had taken plenty of damage the previous fight and it was difficult to say if it would survive the final one. Their metal cube on wheels had done well to create a defense and to provide private hidden compartments for their weapons, but after five rounds and only an hour given for repairs, the missing pieces were going to cause them some difficulty for the last round.

To the pleasure of their fan base - aka their friends - Pidge had painted all their colors onto Voltron, matching their shirts. Black for Shiro, pink for Allura, blue for Lance, red for Keith, yellow for Hunk, bright green for Pidge, and forest green for Matt. Then, as a dedication to their coach, she drew his mustache on the face of the robot.

There were several dents and cuts that messed with the paint, but the message was clear that they were a team.

“Come on Pidge, drill a hole through it’s spine!” screamed Allura. Shiro sat shocked by her outrageous outcries. He learned a lot about Allura today - and he secretly loved every second of it.

“Allura, sit…” said Shiro, grabbing her arm and gently pulling her down, “they still have fifteen minutes until they fight.”

“I’m just so excited! There is this rush I never knew about,” she laughed.

“Well, I’m hungry. Gonna get some snacks. Anyone want anything?” asked Lance.

“I’ll munch on whatever you get, if that’s okay?” asked Allura.

“That’s cool. Keith, come help?”

Keith didn’t reply, simply standing and going as if it was a command, not a question.

Allura grinned as she watched them leave.

“What has you all smiles?” asked Shiro.

“Please tell me you’ve noticed?”

Shiro blinked in confusion, “What?”

“You are hopeless! Have you not noticed how your brother and Lance are always hanging out?”

“Yeah… they’re close friends.”

“Yes, like you and I were close friends our junior year.”

“What? No! Keith and Lance… no… no… wait… No?”

“Are you disapproving or confused?”

“Confused… all of it is confusion… But Keith said he’s not interesting in dating.”

“He said that, but that’s not what he actually means. Although, I’m certain he doesn’t see it himself either.”

“You aren’t going to meddle, are you?”

“No. I’m simply the observer and reporter to the meddler.”

“Allura…”

She smiled playfully, “One can not mess with Keith. He’s like a fragile bird who easily gets scared. No, one must meddle with Lance and that is being left to the expert.”

“Why do I feel like you meeting his sister was the worst idea ever?”

She poked him on the nose and kissed him as a reward for figuring it out.

“Just leave me out of this,” he said shaking his head.

“Do not worry. I promise.”

Lance and Keith made it to the food carts and waited in the long line. “This is way cooler than I expected,” said Lance.

“Must admit, I finally get why Pidge has been wanting to do this for so long,” replied Keith.

Looking around, Lance noticed no one familiar. He snuck a kiss on Keith’s cheek and smiled, “It’s fun watching you cheer for your best friend. I can tell it encourages her.”

“Yeah - “ Keith blushed, never figuring Lance would show some physical affection in public. It was new and confusing - very, very confusing. “Um, why did you do that?”

“What? Was that too far?”

“I - I don’t know. It was strange.”

“Then, I won’t do it again.”

“I - um - okay…”

Lance scrunched his face and took a small step away from Keith. Crossing his arms, his facial expression was clearly frustrated and disappointed. It only furthered to confuse Keith. Keith reached his hand over to Lance’s arm, “Hey… since we’re all going out to celebrate their moving forward tonight, want to wingman it? We hadn’t had the chance before.”

“Yeah, sure. I guess that’s fitting.” Lance relaxed his arms.

They reached the counter and ordered some snacks before walking back to the stands. The disencouraging face of Lance’s worried Allura, but she didn’t bother to say anything - it went against their plan.

With a rush of music and the dimming of the lights, the announcer spoke and prepared the crowd for the final fight. As Pidge, Matt, and Hunk arrived to their corner, Lance and Allura rose to their feet cheering with all their might.

Pidge grinned wickedly and gave the opposing team a death glare. Hunk and Matt smiled awkwardly.

The match begun and Pidge was in charge of the controller. Her concentration was even more laser focused than Keith’s normally was. Voltron went for the full attack, zipping through the stage and releasing the inner saw. It pounded over the head of the race car robot, trying to dig its way through the top. The race car robot did not hesitate to retaliate, as the hood opened and started drilling from underneath Voltron.

Pidge wasn’t fazed, moving Voltron away in order to released the hammer from above. It started to smash against the ground, chasing after the race car. Only because of its speed, did Voltron not catch up. Needing to change strategies, Pidge released the two drills from the side and picked up the pace.

The race car drove the tight corner and bolted towards Voltron. It slammed against the front, causing the cube to crunch, but Pidge didn’t give up. In one last effort, she slid Voltron to the side of the car and started drilling a hole through its side.

The other team kept trying to move away, but there was no use. In no time, the main connections of the robot scattered across the battle stage and Team Voltron was claimed the winners.

“Woo!” they all shouted at once. Lance and Allura waving their banner, while Shiro and Keith stood and cheered. Pidge, Hunk, and Matt bear hugged each other, hopping in unison before Coran came from backstage and joined in on the hugging.

“They did it!” screamed Lance, hugging Allura in excitement.

“Come on… let's go greet them,” she said, grabbing Shiro and dragging him out with the banner in hand.

Keith’s mind started to wander for a second. He noticed someone off the corner of his eye looking at them.

It was her; the girl from their class he always caught Lance smiling at. “Hey… what are your thoughts on her?” asked Keith.

Lance raised an eyebrow and notice, “I think she’s pretty cute. I've thought so for a while.”

“I'll be right back.”

Lance watched as Keith went down to greet her. Curious, he kept watching, but was unable to read their lips or hear their conversation. At one point, she looked to Lance and giggled through her hand, giving him a small wave. He waved back and just kept waiting.

Keith came back to Lance and handed a piece of paper to him, “Here you go. Her number. She’s gonna go to Pizza Haven to join us.”

“Did - did you just wingman?”

“Yeah - I thought we were doing this?”

“No, we are, but damn you're good.” Lance patted Keith on the back as they made their way to meet with the others.

Settling into their two cars, with a damaged Voltron in the truck of Coran’s van, they all went to Pizza Haven to celebrate. Just as Keith had said, the girl sat with her friends as other teams who competed enjoy their meals. It was refreshing to see them all cheer for Team Voltron as they walked in, even gathering near Hunk, Pidge, and Matt to ask for some advise. The restaurant became more of a hodgepodge of people from the competition mingling with each other instead of staying with those they arrived with.

Lance stayed beside Keith, but kept wandering around talking to anyone that would allow him to. The only person he avoided was the girl. Keith wondered why he went out of his way to keep avoiding her, even trying to tug him in that direction.

“In due time, my comrade. First, we must play the room to help with your social life.”

Keith rolled his eyes, knowing it was an excuse. Eventually, he gave up on Lance and decided to take matters into his own hands. He yanked Lance away and went to the table with the girl. He forced Lance to sit on the chair beside her, “Hello again. Lance this is Nyma. Please chat while I go to the restroom.”

Keith left without another word and darted directly to the restroom. He waited fifteen minutes, passing the time by playing some Candy Crush on his phone, before returning to the dining area.

He froze. A thought sneaking behind him as he watched Lance and Nyma talking. He had set this all up. This was all part of their arrangement. It all happened so easily and he never hesitated to do anything - so why did it hurt to see Lance slip his hand onto her knee?

He choked back his breath as he scrabbled to leave Pizza Haven. He needed air; lots of air; more than the city could provide.

None of it made any sense. Keith couldn’t comprehend his own actions and thought process. There was only one way to figure it out. One way to know what was really sitting in the back of his mind.

He pulled out his phone, opened the messages to Pidge and just wrote whatever his fingers decided to type.

<\\\>

_Keith: I’ve made a mistake… Kate… I really messed up…_

_Pidge: Where are you? What are you talking about?_

_Keith: I hooked Lance up with some girl._

_Pidge: …_

_Pidge: Keith, you’re worrying me. Where are you?_

_Keith: I like him… I like him, like him…_

_Pidge: KEITH WHERE ARE YOU?!_

_ <\\\> _

He couldn’t think straight. It went against everything he was; everything he said he had become.

Keith Kogane was not interested in dating.

Keith Kogane was going to college to get his degree and finally put himself on the right path in life for once.

Keith Kogane was going to do everything in his power to keep his life as simple as possible.

But there were some things even Keith couldn’t control and the last bit of control he had, he gave away to his heart and it crushed him more than he could explain.

Keith ran far enough that Pidge would not find him before his Uber arrived. He needed to be alone; to collect his thoughts and rationalize the madness of his heart. There was no way he was going to allow himself to do this - it wasn’t worth losing the friendship and partnership they had built.

No. Keith would have to revert back to the person he had become at seventeen. There was no way he was going to allow himself to act on such foolish misconceived notions of love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Keith, you lovable little pinning Keith. How I adore you.
> 
> Once again, thanks for all the Kudos and comments. They always make me smile and inspire me to keep going. The fic is turning out WAY longer than I expected, but I'm not complaining. (I got a lot of writing during my winter break, so I'm pretty much super ahead of my schedule).
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I wanna say how overwhelmed I am with feels! I don't know what happened, but within two days the numbers of comments, kudos, and hits jumped and it thrilled me to hear from you all. I am so happy you are all enjoying my fic. It means a lot to me and it's really motivating me to work even harder on my entry for the Voltron Big Bang! 
> 
> Second, happy Sunday! Let's take a look at Lance's side of the events that transpired. Enjoy!
> 
> -Luna

_ <\\\> _

_ Lance: I slept over at his place last night. _

_ Natalie: AHHHHH!!!! Was it all you expected? Was he great in bed? He seems like he would be great in bed. _

_ Lance: You are making this really difficult to come to you for advice. You know I can’t talk to Miguel about this… _

_ Natalie: So you didn’t sleep together? No hanky panky? _

_ Lance: Maybe Ricardo is old enough now to have these conversations with. _

_ Natalie: NO! Fine… what happened? _

_ Lance: I left my key at home and locked myself out… FOR REAL on accident, so he let me sleep over after we studied for class and the character of Rizzo. _

_ Natalie: A great study session, I must say. _

_ Lance: Very. _

_ Lance: Then, he said I could stay since I left my keys and I slept on his bed. We…  _

_ Lance: Arg… _

_ Natalie: I’m going to assume hanky panky if you don’t tell me the truth. _

_ Lance: We kissed again and it was awesome. Just like all the other times. _

_ Natalie: ALL THE OTHER TIMES?! _

_ Lance: Oh yeah… that was a secret… Keith and I have kind of been wingmen with benefits. _

_ Natalie: … _

_ Natalie: I’m sorry, what?! _

_ Lance: We decided to be each other’s wingman. _

_ Natalie: Okay… _

_ Lance: But then we had that kiss at the club. _

_ Natalie: No new information yet. Continue. _

_ Lance: But neither of us could get over it, so we agreed to keep doing it under the terms that we stay friends only, keep wingmanning, and not tell anyone. _

_ Natalie: Seems you are breaking that last rule right now. _

_ Lance: No, the problem is I’m breaking the first rule. I don’t think I want to be his friend anymore. _

_ Natalie: @_@ Please tell me you’re saying what I hope you’re saying?! _

_ Lance: HELP ME! _

_ Natalie: OMG! Yes… okay. 1) Keep calm. You have to be ready to be rejected, although I highly doubt this will happen.  _

_ Lance: UGH! _

_ Natalie: 2) Just tell him or do something to prepare to tell him. _

_ Lance: Like what? _

_ Natalie: What are you doing today? _

_ Lance: We are on our way to robot competition.  _

_ Natalie: Is he sitting right next to you? _

_ Lance: Maybe… _

_ Natalie: Damn, you take some heavy risk. _

_ Lance: Can you hurry, we’re parking! _

_ Natalie: Do something you normally don’t do. Something that would maybe hint that you want more. Then, when you have a moment alone, talk about it with him. _

_ Lance: That seems easier than it should. _

_ Natalie: The hard part is just doing it and preparing for the unknown response. _

_ Lance: ARG! _

_ Natalie: Text me anytime for encouragement!  _

_ Lance: ARG!!!! _

_ <\\\> _

Lance and Keith made it to the food carts and waited in the long line. “This is way cooler than I expected,” said Lance.

“Must admit, I finally get why Pidge has been wanting to do this for so long,” replied Keith. 

Standing in the line alone made Lance think about to his text conversation with Natalie in the car. 

It had happened when he woke up that morning. Keith’s phone started buzzing with the alarm, but all he did was put it in snooze. Lance, on the other hand, woke up and simply laid back on the bed. 

He turned to Keith and looked at him sleep. Lance smiled, enjoying the moment. He realized then - with the sunlight starting to shine against Keith’s deep black hair, reflecting the paleness of his skin that Lance enjoyed the taste of so much - that he didn't want Keith to be his wingman anymore.

He just wanted to be with Keith.

The only reservation he had was Keith’s view of their terms. He had been so willing to participate once the terms were set. Before that, he hesitated and kept second guessing everything. It was clear on his face, but the past few weeks had been so comfortable; so free.

He knew that's all he wanted with Keith from this point forward.

Looking around, Lance noticed no one familiar. It was his chance to do something different. They had been careful to not flirt anymore in public - so, showing any act of affection in public had to be the subtle change Natalie suggested. 

He snuck a kiss on Keith’s cheek and smiled, “It’s fun watching you cheer for your best friend. I can tell it encourages her.” 

“Yeah - “ Keith blushed.

_ He’s blushing... that's a good sign… _

“Um, why did you do that?”

_ That can't be good… _

“What? Was that too far?” replied Lance. He prayed it hadn't. He didn't want to ruin it now. Not like this. 

“I - I don’t know. It was strange.” 

_ Strange? He thinks it's strange?  _

Lance didn't know how to handle the response. Instead, he took it as a sign and backed a bit.

“Then, I won’t do it again.” 

“I - um - okay…” 

_ Okay? Okay?  _ Lance hadn't expected that. He had hoped at least more dialogue between the two or a flat rejection, not  _ okay. _

Lance scrunched his face and took a small step away from Keith. Crossing his arms, his facial expression was clearly frustrated and disappointed.

Then, Keith reached his hand for Lance’s arm - a second of hope only to be shattered by his next sentence. “Hey… since we’re all going out to celebrate their moving forward tonight, want to wingman it? We hadn’t had the chance before.” 

Disappointment. No other words could describe this moment.

“Yeah, sure. I guess that’s fitting.” Lance relaxed his arms. 

They reached the counter and ordered some snacks before walking back to the stands. The strains of defeat in Lance’s eyes.

#

Nyma was nice, to say the least. She held him with good conversation and easily distracted his distorted mind and warped thoughts. He had tried at all their time in Pizza Haven to avoid her, giving him a chance to eventually speak with Keith privately.

It became the last straw when Keith’s firm - and attractive - grip laid in Lance’s shoulders and planted him down on the seat. 

When he dismissed himself to the restroom and didn't return after ten minute, Lance was done.

<\\\>

_ Lance: Rejected…  _

_ Natalie: What?! No way?! _

_ Lance: I tried. I kissed him on the cheek in public. _

_ Natalie: Damn! Good move. _

_ Lance: Yeah, I thought so too! But then he suggested we wingman tonight and he did… he hooked me up with a really nice girl! _

_ Natalie: Damn… I'm sorry Lance. Are you okay?  _

_ Lance: I even tried avoiding her and he forced me to sit beside her. Like, physically forced me and now he’s been gone for more than half an hour. _

_ Natalie: God… I honestly thought he liked you back. I'm so sorry Lance. _

_ Lance: Maybe I shouldn't even bother and pretend like I didn't even try… she is kind of cute. _

_ Natalie: … _

_ Natalie: Yeah, maybe you should. _

_ <\\\> _

_ Natalie: What happened between Keith and Lance? _

_ Allura: Why? They were just talking an hour ago around the restaurant. _

_ Natalie: Well, Lance tried actually telling Keith how he feels. The meddling had worked but it seems Keith rejected him. _

_ Allura: No! But they are so cute together! _

_ Natalie: That's what I'm saying. _

_ Allura: …  _

_ Allura: … _

_ Allura: OMG, we can't find Keith!  _

_ Natalie: What?! _

_ Allura: He disappeared! _

_ Natalie: What is going on over there?!  _

_ <\\\> _

The weekend passed and it took all of Sunday morning to learn that Keith had gone home, taking his motorbike out for a long drive back to Orlando to visit his parents.

He emailed his professors to let them know he wasn't feeling well and would come back to class the following week. 

He barely spoke with his parents, but kept up with his online studies. Every so often he would email Lance his notes - trying to rebuild some normal thoughts within his own mind.

His parents kept Shiro updated on Keith’s condition, but it was confusing to all - all except Pidge.

<\\\>

_ Pidge: You are planning on coming back? _

_ Keith: Yes. Just taking the week off. _

_ Pidge: Okay. You know I can't survive college without you. _

_ Keith: Trust me, neither can I. _

_ Keith: How is he? _

_ Pidge: Good. He went on a full date with Nyma on Wednesday. _

_ Keith: Good. He deserves that. _

_ Pidge: You do to. _

_ Keith: You know I can't. _

_ Pidge: I know the reasons you keep telling yourself you can't, but I don't agree with you.  _

_ Keith: But they are my reasons. _

_ Pidge: They are dumb reasons, but I'm tired of arguing against you about it since you were 17. So I'm done. _

_ Keith: Does he look happy?  _

_ Pidge: … _

_ Pidge: Yes. He asks for you. Says you're ignoring his texts. _

_ Keith: To be fair, you're the only one I'm answering back. _

_ Pidge: I know. That's why I'm pretending you aren’t responding back to me. _

_ Keith: Thanks. _

_ Pidge: You're acting dumb, but your my dummy. _

_ Keith: Always. _

_ <\\\> _

“He sent me more notes. I guess he’s still at least helping me out,” said Lance as he held the phone on his ear. He had taken to studying in his own bedroom, missing Keith’s couch with every passing second.

“Then, maybe he at least is trying to make the effort of keeping the agreement,” said Natalie over the phone.

“Maybe… and you swear you haven't told anyone of the agreement!”

“I swear!” She meant it. Even though she had been conspiring with Allura to hook them up, Natalie did not tell anyone about the relationship Lance and Keith had. After hearing her younger brother’s heartbreak through text, there was no point in bringing that up. “Are you planning on continuing the agreement?”

“I don't know. On one hand, he still makes a killer wingman, but on the other, I'm not sure if I'm gonna need one much longer.”

“You and Nyma hitting it off?”

“I guess. She's cute, funny, and easy going. We've only gone on one real date, but we text each other daily. Really haven't chatted about being in a relationship or not. Taking it slow.”

“Just don't avoid it completely because you hope Keith will change his mind. Even if the two of you pick up where you left off, you should shield yourself more. If it's becoming too intense, back off.”

“Yeah… I got ya. Thanks Nat, I'll talk with you soon.”

“ _ Te quiero,”  _ she replied.

“ _ Te quiero, _ ” he said back.

Lance continued with his studies, opening the notes that Keith had emailed him. To his surprise, the email itself had a message. 

_ <Email: keithkogan56@gmail.com> _

_ <To: lancemcman45@gmail.com> _

_ I'll be home Sunday morning. Lunch? _

“Lunch?” Lance read aloud. This couldn't be possible, after everything he wanted to have lunch.

No, Lance had to remind himself that he didn't actually tell Keith he wanted more. He had only implied it and wasn't given the chance to be formally rejected.

It was better this way - at least it could easily save the friendship.

Lance grabbed his phone and noticed that today was in fact Sunday. He’d lost track of the days and hadn't realized it. Noticing the time, he bolted out of his desk and towards Keith’s apartment. 

Just before he knocked, he stopped. What was he to do? Pick it up where it left off? Was that even possible? 

No, Lance was furious. How could Keith just up and leave for a whole week and not reply back to any of his text message? How could Keith leave everyone to worry, including his brother, without even texting back? It was one thing to ignore his friends; it's another to ignore family.

Lance decided he was angry at Keith for his random childish behaviors. There was no way he was going to let him get away with any of it. 

Lance knocked on the door with the grumpiest face he could muster.

Keith opened the door. His hair misshapen; his eyes with large dark bags; and his clothes misconstrued. 

He spoke before Lance could even open his mouth, “Is she your girlfriend?”

Lance took a shocked step back. “Um - no.”

“Are you guys serious to the point that you've closed off seeing other people?”

Lance replied irritated by the barrage of questions, “No. We are still in open dating phase.”

“Good.” Keith reached over to Lance’s neck and pulled him into the apartment. In a swift move, he yanked Lance into the apartment far enough close the door behind Lance and then firmly pin him against it. 

They kissed, rougher than before, but neither party complained. Lance lost himself to Keith’s lips - a welcomed memory returned to reality. 

Then, the moment Keith moved his kissing down Lance’s neck, did Lance realize what he had decided. Against his own pleasurable judgement, he pushed Keith away.

“Stop. What the hell man?! You leave without a word for a week and just expect me to go back to that! Had you at least had the courtesy to text me back the dozens of times I tried checking in on you, I may have considered this reunion perfect.”

“I - I'm sorry…” Keith turned his face away, allowing the bangs of his hair to cover his eyes, “I panicked, so I did the only thing I know which is hide back at home.”

“What the hell were you panicking about?”

Keith’s looked directly to Lance for a second before averting his eyes and walking to a seat at the bar table. “Something personal… I really don't want to talk about it.”

“No! Normally I would let that kind of talk slip, but not this time! You disappeared and had us all worried! I had to hold a crying Pidge. Do you know how hard it is to hold a crying Pidge?!”

“I do…” Keith planted his face into the palms of his hands, “Nothing is worse.”

“Yeah! Nothing! God Keith! You could have at least replied to Shiro. He’s you brother!”

Keith twitched at hearing Shiro’s name. Just before the drive back to Tampa, he finally spoke with Shiro - at least they planned to talk.

“I know… I know… God, I'm sorry! What more do you want me to say!”

“The truth! Why did you panic?!” Lance grabbed Keith’s shoulder and forced him to look directly at Lance.

“I - I…”

Keith considered his opinions. If he told Lance the truth, it could easily blow up in his face. It could also change his own life in more ways he could count. That was the biggest issue of all - he didn't want it to change.

“I really missed home! Something about the competition and seeing Pidge and Matt made me just miss my parents.”

“What? Are you serious?!”

“I swear.”

Lance let go of Keith. He could sense that something was off by his response, but there was a lingering patch of loneliness that clearly read in Keith’s eyes. It longed for a place called home and, Lance realized, he always seemed to be searching for it.

“Why couldn't you have just said that?” Lance’s tone calmed down as he took several calming breaths. 

“Like I said, I panicked.”

“Does that happen often?”

“Yeah… since I could remember.” Keith wasn't lying. Since he was a child, he would often have panic attacks over the more stressful situations of his life. The only resolution was escaping and calming down.

Lance stayed silent and plopped himself on the couch, “You could have texted back…”

“I emailed…”

“Study guides,” he laughed.

“I needed to make sure you didn't fail while I was gone,” Keith returned the laughter.

“Does that kiss mean the other parts of our agreement is still on?” Lance didn't move from his couch to look at Keith.

“We’ll only cancel it when one of us says it's over… you're dating Nyma?”

“Yeah. You found a good one.”

Keith’s chest pounded against him, “Yeah? So, you think it’ll get serious?”

“Not sure yet. After our first date we agreed to take it slow. Nothing exclusive. So, until that changes…”

Keith suddenly appeared standing over Lance on the couch. “Continue…”

“Until that changes we can go back to where we left off.”

Keith straddled Lance and laid against his chest. The exhaustion on his face were the remnants of his week long trip of self-discovery and destressing. 

For Keith, he needed the week to figure out what his heart wanted, but it all seemed to disappear right here having Lance against him once again.

_ Maybe it's better to keep this up… at least we can have each other this way until he chooses to move on.  _

“Then, there we have it.”

“Yeah… there we have it.”

Neither of them moved, enjoying the simpleness of their closeness. Lance brushed Keith’s bang away from his eyes - heart pounding - he still wanted to be with only Keith, but maybe it was best to give up on the dream.

If this was how he could be in Keith’s life, then this is how it would stay.

“Can I add one more thing to our agreement?”

Keith looked confused, “Depends.”

“Next time you have a panic attack, can you at least send me one text so I know you're okay.”

Keith hid his face on Lance’s chest, “Deal.”

“Deal.”

#

“You can't keep doing this to yourself,” said Shiro as he drank his hot tea from his Starbucks cup.

He sat at an outside table at the local Starbucks with Keith. He had a forgiving nature, having completely understood why Keith had run away back home, but simply wanting to understand what the why was this time. Over the years, he had lived Keith's panic attacks and every time this chat at Starbucks was the end result of it. 

“Why not?” Keith sipped his coffee, missing the flavorful taste of Lance’s coffee.

“For the same reasons mom and dad keep saying. You deserve to have a social life and a love life as well as your career. Balance is what equates to happiness.”

“I tried to balance life before and I almost completely lost my one chance at it.”

“Yet, you still got it, so why not risk it again.”

“I don't like change.”

“You say that, but allowing Lance and Hunk to become a part of your life, even as just friends was a pretty big change.”

“Stop pointing out the obvious that I keep ignoring.”

“But that's why we have these chats.” Shiro smiled slickly, “So you had a panic attack because you suddenly realized you like Lance.”

“Yeah.”

“Instead of just following your feelings, you have decided to push them aside and convince yourself it's a mistake.”

“Yeah.”

“Yet, you acknowledge how dumb that all is.”

“Pidge requires me to always answer that question with yeah.”

“Then, how are you going to fix this? I promise you, if you keep up spending time with Lance and hanging out, your feelings will not disappear. Either you give it a shot or you date someone else.”

Keith sighed, “I hate this!”

“How much of your life does Lance even know?”

“What?”

“How much of your life does Lance even know? I believe part of your problem is how much you keep hiding your past from others.”

“You know I've moved on.”

“Yeah, but it still shaped you to become who you are. Why not allow someone to see it for once.”

Keith squeezed the cup in his hand, “I don't want anyone who wasn't a part of it to know. I've moved on and I'd like to keep it in the past.”

“See, but it's your past that is affecting your future. Maybe that's the part you don't realize.”

Keith sipped his coffee again, thinking about it. Shiro - as usual - was right. His dark past always seemed to creep up behind him when he least needed it and his conflicted sense of emotions were the result of years of agony and pain.

“Then, I should just work on opening myself up more to Lance?”

“Yep.”

“And maybe that will help me realize how I really feel from him.”

“Yep.”

“That's easier said than done.”

“But it needs to be done. Let him into your life and see how you like it. If it goes bad, I'll be here to help you pick up the pieces, like always.”

Keith grinned, “Thanks Shiro.”

They continued to drink before Keith’s eyes perked up, “You're not telling Allura I like Lance, right?”

“Oh hell no! She would destroy everything! This is totally staying between us.”

“Good,” Keith sighed in relief.

#

_ (Group Chat: The Fosters) _

_ Barry: I'm graduating in December!!!! This is crazy! I can't believe it. _

_ Matt: That's awesome! Congrats man! _

_ Garth: For real, dude, that's amazing. That hard work paid off. _

_ Barry: With honors too! _

_ Keith: I feel like you're just trying to make the rest of us feel worthless.  _

_ Barry: You caught me. lol. _

_ Keith: Congrats man. Hopefully I'll be you in the next two years. _

_ Barry: You will.  _

_ Matt: Damn, to think two of you went to college and one of us is super successful working for a fashion company in NYC. _

_ Garth: Keep rubbing it in guys. _

_ Keith: Garth, are you seriously saying you hate your life?  _

_ Garth: No way! Crazy happy! I mean look at what I've got! _

_ Garth: <Image Sent> _

_ Matt: Sam is so much bigger already!  _

_ Garth: Eats like a tank. _

_ Barry: He’s so adorable. _

_ Keith: Levy looks super happy. _

_ Garth: She is. She’s dying to meet you all. _

_ Matt: We need a reunion. _

_ Barry: Yes please!  _

_ Keith: Could really use it. _

_ Garth: You sound kind of bummed, Keith. Everything good? _

_ Keith: Had a panic attack recently. _

_ Matt: OUCH! How long did recovery last this time? _

_ Keith: One week. _

_ Barry: DAMN. You feel better now? _

_ Keith: Shiro helped me clear my thoughts. _

_ Garth: Good. I always liked Shiro.  _

_ Matt: Same. He was always cool to us. _

_ Garth: You wanna shot your stresses away? The Festival of the Lost has started on Destiny. _

_ Keith: That would be helpful. Can't do raids until Friday. _

_ Matt: I can play on and off all week, but I'm good for an all night raid come Saturday. _

_ Barry: Same.  _

_ Garth: I should be good for the same. Just need to make sure Levy is cool with it. _

_ Matt: *whip sound* _

_ Garth: Proudly getting whipped! She's good to me. _

_ Keith: It must be good being in a healthy relationship. _

_ Garth: It makes everything worth it. Highly recommend. _

_ Keith: Noted… _

_ <\\\> _

_ Lance: <Image Sent> _

_ Lance: You can have half this bag of candy. _

_ Keith: That is a hell of alot of candy. Seems you’re enjoying Halloween.  _

_ Lance: Heck yeah! Skipping class tomorrow to spend the night with my sis and bro at Disney is completely worth it. I mean, look at my fabulous niece! _

_ Lance: <Image Sent> _

_ Keith: She is pretty adorable. Moana? _

_ Lance: DUH! We are a family of water lovers… and that is not a Cuban pun!  _

_ Keith: lol.  _

_ Keith: I only thought about it after you said it… are you the chicken?! _

_ Lance: Yes! _

_ Lance: <Image Sent> _

_ Keith: You look ridiculous.  _

_ Lance: That is one outstanding selfie. _

_ Keith: Whatever you say. _

_ Lance: <Image Sent> _

_ Keith: Your whole family is adorable.  _

_ Lance: This isn't even all of us. Parents and young sibs couldn't make it. We’re looking at all coming this year for New Years.  _

_ Keith: That’s cool. _

_ Lance: Aren't you from Orlando? _

_ Keith: Yeah. _

_ Lance: So, will you be in Orlando come New Years? _

_ Keith: More than likely.  _

_ Lance: Good to know. _

_ Keith: What? _

_ Lance: Nothing. Just curious. _

_ Keith: Okay… _

_ Lance: What are you doing this fine Halloween? _

_ Keith: <Image Sent> _

_ Keith: Watching movies with Pidge, Shiro, Allura, Matt, and Hunk.  _

_ Lance: Ah! You guys invited Hunk! Good, I was scared he wasn't gonna do anything since he couldn't come. _

_ Lance: Tell everyone hi!  _

_ Keith: They all say hi back. _

_ Lance: Getting in line for Haunted Madison! Happy Halloween! _

_ Keith: Happy Halloween. _

_ <\\\> _

Shiro helped pop more popcorn with Keith in his kitchen. The other four snugged up comfortably in blankets as they selected  _ Hocus Pocus _ as their next film.

“How are things going with you and Lance?” whispered Shiro.

“Normal, I guess.”

“You haven't told him anything?”

“No.”

“Keith…”

“Look Shiro, it's hard. He’s still dating Nyma…”

“But he’s stated several times it's not serious,” interrupted Shiro.

“Yeah but…”

“But nothing. Look, I don't know what the two of you planned out that you're acting all normal with each other, but it's killing you inside. Pidge tells me that you lock yourself in your apartment raging over video games when he's out with her.”

Keith grumbled, “I thought you said you weren't going to tell anyone.”

“I said I wasn't gonna tell Allura. You told Pidge and we’re looking out for you as a team.”

“I hate it.”

“Open up with him. At this point, the worst that can happen is he becomes an even closer friend. Just, consider it that way. You're opening up to a friend.”

“I guess…” 

“Do it.” Shiro took the bowl of popcorn and snuggled next to Allura.

Keith stayed behind in the kitchen to think for a minute. He scrolled through his phone and open the selfie of Lance.

He did look ridiculous with his glued on feathers, painted face, and feathered outfit, but he loved every second of it. He saved the image and all the other images on his phone.

Motivated, he swore he would try - he needed to try.

<\\\>

_ Nyma: Hey Lance! _

_ Lance: Hey. _

_ Nyma: What are you doing tonight? _

_ Lance: At Disney with my niece, bro, and sis.  _

_ Nyma: That sounds like fun! Wanna hang when you get back? _

_ Lance: Sure. We can have brunch on Friday.  _

_ Nyma: Okay. I'll see you then. _

_ Lance: K _

_ <\\\> _

“You don't seem very enthusiastic about that message with Nyma,” said Natalie looking over his shoulder in the car ride back to her place.

“Why do you say that?”

“At the park you were all giddy texting Keith and with Nyma you barely whimpered.”

“Whatever,” he rolled his eyes. 

Natalie stepped on the breaks, twisting the car to align to the overskirts of the road.

“Natalie?! What the hell?!” They watched as Miguel’s car kept driving down the highway.

Natalie grabbed Lance by the shirt, “You're not over him! Admit it!”

Lance shoved her hand away, “Of course I'm not!” He crossed his arms, looking out of the car, “How can I be when all we did was go right back to how it was before?”

“So, you're still wingmen with benefits?” she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah.”

“Lance! Don't you see how damaging that is? It's one thing if both of you were on the same page, but your not! He doesn't have any feelings for you and you have all the feelings in the world.”

“I can't help it! I really like him and it's hard to take myself out from the picture. I can't imagine not being near him, even if it's like this.”

“But if you keep it up like this, all you're doing is closing yourself off from the world. Lance, end it with Keith or come up with a way to tell him and accept whatever he says… even if you risk losing the friendship.”

“Nat… I can't…”

“Yes you can! You have to figure this out and stop breaking your own heart! I risked a lot to go out with Markus. Remember…”

“Yeah… you were dating someone else.”

“It wasn't ideal and my ex has all the right in the world to consider me a bitch, but I felt something with Markus and I made a few big mistakes, but it was worth trying.”

“I can't do something like that to Nyma.”

“Then, don't keep leading her on.”

“Yeah… okay… that part I can at least do.”

“Good.”

“I'll think over the rest.”

“I expect some better results come Thanksgiving.”

Lance shook his head and kept quiet the rest of the car ride to Natalie’s. He didn't know what to think anymore. He wanted to keep Keith in his life no matter how it was. The risk of ruining even the friendship didn't feel worth it, but Natalie was right.

The heartache alone was starting to become more difficult.

#

Lance knocked on Keith’s door, “Trick or treat!”

Keith opened it, scratching his stomach showing he was clearly just waking up.

“You raid last night?” asked Lance as he stepped in.

“Yeah… something like that. Pidge is the one who planned it. Is that my candy?”

“Yep, all two pounds of it. I have five more at my place.” He heaved the bag on the kitchen counter.

“Holy hell!”

Lance laughed, “I'll leave you to sleep. I just wanted to give you your candy.”

Lance started to walk out the door, but Keith stopped him. “No, wait - um - stay. I could use the company.”

“To sleep in the middle of the morning?”

“Yes…”

_ Yes… _

“Okay.”

Keith let go of Lance and went to the bed. Lance followed and crawled in beside him. He snuggled on underneath the blankets and rested his head. He wasn't really tired, but he couldn't resist laying beside Keith in his bed. They hadn't done so since the night before the competition.

“They are going into their next round during Thanksgiving week,” said Keith as he rested comfortably on his pillow, “My parents are letting me go with them, so I'll be the fan base in the stands.”

“Thats cool. Maybe you can FaceTime it for me?”

“Yeah, I'll see if I get good cell service.”

“Keith…”

“Yeah…”

Lance moved closer to him. His labored, tired breath made it clear that Keith wasn't complete aware of his surrounds. Still, Lance wanted to say it. “I'm gonna tell Nyma I don't want to continue dating her. She’s sweet and all but I'm not interested.”

“Oh?” his voice was droopy, but Keith tried his hardest to stay awake for this conversation.

“Yeah. Great try though, just didn't work out in the end. Better luck next time.”

Keith groaned, but Lance wasn't sure if it was from what he said or the tiredness. “Yeah… next time.”

Lance started to pull away, but Keith put his arm around Lance’s waist and pulled them closer. Keith kissed Lance’s forehead and sighed, hiding away the millions of thoughts that kept crossing his mind.

“Keith… I - um…”

“What?” 

Lance kissed Keith, trying to avoid his own words, “I put mostly Twix in there for you. Your fave, right?”

“Hell yeah.” He grinned.

“Good…”

“Good…”

Keith drifted into sleep holding a confused and love sick Lance in his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are idiots. That's the best way to put it. 
> 
> Still, love them though. Hope you guys keep enjoying. Thanks for all the love with the comments and kudos. You guys don't understand how much that means to me. <3
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To celebrate the release of Voltron Season 2, I am submitting the new chapter a day early. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> News about next week's chapters below. 
> 
> As always, thanks so much for the comments and kudos. You guys are seriously making my crummy days happy! Love you all! 
> 
> -Luna

<\\\>

_Keith: First round in 10 mins._

_Lance: YES! Alright setting up my Skype connection now._

_Lance: How do they look?_

_Keith: Pidge is overly confident as ever, but that just means she's super nervous. Hunk won't stop biting his nails and Matt is taking it rather well._

_Lance: oh Hunk! Buddy! It's okay!_

_Lance: Tell him that._

_Keith: I did. He laughed._

_Lance: What?! Why did he laugh?!_

_Keith: I may have done it pretending to sound like you._

_Lance: Grrrr!!!_

_Keith: Alright, ready when you are._

_ <\\\> _

“Alright, I set it up so it will follow the robot during the rounds. Just push this button to activate that functions. Push it again so you can control it. Other than that, it works like regular Skype,” said Pidge handing Keith the keyboard.

Keith finished adjusting the attached camera and then sat down to take the keyboard.

“Cool. Thanks.”

“You good?” asked Pidge sitting down beside Keith, her leg shaking from her nerves.

“I'm positive, I should be the one asking that question.” He laughed.

“Stop! You know I'm nervous,” she smacked him across the arm, “No, you and Lance. How is that going? You guys seem like before again.”

“This past month has been… _normal.”_

“That's not the answer I wanted to hear. Have you not opened up to him, even a little. I said I would leave you to your own devices until Thanksgiving break. Well, here we are.”

“No… I can't. Pidge, it's too hard to open those doors again.”

“What are you so scared about? Honestly, all it is is a bunch of mistakes you made in your youth. Everyone makes mistakes in their teens.”

“But I hate the person I was. I've become someone better; someone smarter.”

“But it's thanks to those mistakes.” Pidge sighed, tapping him on the back, “how about to me?”

“What?”

“You haven't told me the whole story either. Why not practice and finally tell me the whole story? I think I've earned it.”

Keith stuttered - a rehearsal - why hadn't he come up with that idea before. Rehearsals were the only way, in the past, he would come up with the courage to get up on stage and pass his nerves.

Back then, those moments, were the only times his panic attacks almost disappeared.

“Yeah… that might work. I should have told you all of it earlier.”

Pidge smiled and jumped hug Keith, “Perfect. We’ll start another day, however. I have a few robots to destroy.” Her glasses seems to fog once again with her wickedness.

“Go on. Win this thing.” He rubbed his hand against the top of her head while shoving her to her feet.

She smiled running to the stage, passing Hunk who ran towards Keith. “Dude, I'm so nervous. We have eight rounds this time if we qualify all the way.”

“You’ll be fine,” said Keith.

“Is the Skype ready?”

“Yeah, waiting for him to answer it now.”

Hunk rushed to the camera and waited.”

#

“It's ringing!” screamed Armando from the livingroom.

Lance dashed out of his room wearing his Team Voltron shirt. He slid on the floor before leaping on the couch. Ricardo hopped over the back of the couch and landed beside Lance, spilling some of the chips on Lance’s lap.

Lance brushed them off as he reached over to the coffee table to grab the keyboard. The tv in the family McClain home was set up just like his apartment. Connected to Lance’s laptop, he held onto a wireless keyboard and mouse as the laptop projected onto the large family television.

Lance answered the call. He expected to see Keith’s face, but was pleasantly surprised to see Hunk standing a little too close to the lens.

“Buddy! Lance, is that you!” said Hunk.

“Hey Hunk!” replied Lance, “can you see me?”

“Lance? Lance? Keith, I don't think he can hear me.”

“Come over here and sit by me. I'll switch it to my laptop cam so you can see them. I’m looking at them now.”

Hunk ran over and Keith, switching the view to his laptop cam. Lance hiccuped at the sight of a larger than life Keith on his television.

Hunk slid beside Keith, now both taking up the screen.

“Hey buddy!”

“Hey Hunk, you look tense,” said Lance.

“Okay, there are some pretty serious robots here. It's gonna be way harder this time.”

“Didn't you guys upgrade Voltron a ton?”

“Yeah, but you should see some of the other robots here.”

“Come on. You guys can win states. Go Team Voltron!” Lance started hollering as if he was in the stadium.

“Come on Hunk, you got this!” screamed Ricardo.

“Kick some robot ass!” yelled Armando.

“Agh, I wish you guys were here. Thanks guys,” smiled Hunk.

“Where’s your dad?” asked Lance.

“Backstage with Coran. They’re getting along well comparing facial hair.”

“Of course they are,” shrugged Lance.

“Hunk! Let’s go! We’re in round three!” shouted Matt from the background.

“Gotta go.”

“Good luck Hunk!” screamed the three youngest McClain brothers, “ _¡Suerte!”_

“Aw - thanks guys.” Hunk waved goodbye and left Keith alone with the laptop.

“Alright, you guys wanna watch all of it, right?”

“Duh?!” replied Armando, “who are you anyway?”

Keith laughed at the upfront nature of the youngest McClain. “Names Keith. I'm Lance’s neighbor and friend.”

“Hey, Keith,” said Ricardo, “Lance had told me _plenty_ about you.”

Keith raised an eyebrow, “Oh?”

Lance grabbed the pillow from the couch and slammed it against Ricardo’s face, “Are we gonna watch some Voltron destruction or not?!”

“Yeah… oh, the announcer is coming on. Switching back to the camera.” Keith clicked a few buttons and he disappeared from the screen.

It took two rounds for Team Voltron to finally have their first shot. Lance and his brothers cheered loudly as Voltron pulverized the first opponent. Armando was hooked, loving the flying metal and gadgets the robots could possess. He made a proclamation that next time he saw Pidge, he was gonna have a long conversation with her.

Round after round, Team Voltron kept pushing forward. At times, it appeared as if they weren’t going to win. The robot taking too much damage and, with the hour time cap to make repairs between rounds, it became harder and harder to make sure Voltron had all the parts it needed to win. Barely reaching the semi-final round, Lance could see the stress on Hunk’s face through the camera.

“Keith! Keith!” shouted Lance.

When Keith changed the camera back to his view, he saw Lance, Armando, and Ricardo hugging each other closely on the couch, thrill and nervous. He laughed lightly, “What’s up?”

“Does it feel as nervous there as it does in here?”

“I’m sure it’s worse here. I’ve never seen Matt be the super calm one.”

“All they have to do is win this one, right?”

“Yeah, if they win this round, they at least get to go to nationals.”

“They can do it!” shouted Armando with uncontrollable excitement.

“Switching back.”

Keith changed the camera back as Team Voltron stepped up against The Torn. Hunk held the controller, his turn to take the robot and defeat the beast.

Lance started to bite his nails, hoping his friend would do his best and win. When the announcer called to start, Hunk drove the robot directly to The Torn. It’s large cube shape slammed against the coned robot. The stronger metal pushed against the Torn, toppling it down. Hunk moved Voltron back, giving itself some room to open up and release the saw.

“He’s going full attack!” yelled Ricardo.

“Come on Hunk, show him who’s boss!” yelled Lance.

Hunk moved Voltron dead on toward The Torn. He didn't want this fight to go in for very long. Pushing the button on the controller, the saw drives down the center of The Torn, cutting it in half.

Lance and his brothers cheered as the announcer proclaimed it was a record timed fight.

“Yeah! Team Voltron! Team Voltron!” they all shouted.

Keith switched back to his laptop view, “Holy crap! That was amazing!”

“Hell ya! They are kicking some butt!” said Lance, “¡ _Mamí! ¡Papí! Llegando para los finales.”_

Lance’s parents and aunt Martha arrived from different areas of the house.

“You're kidding! Final round?” said Henry, “Pacco must be so proud of Hunk.”

“We all are!” said Armando.

“They still have to have another fight to determine who will be matched against them in the final round and an hour of repairs, but they made it to nationals by just winning this match!” said Lance.

“ _Oy_ , so proud of Hunk,” said Melly, sneaking herself onto the couch, “ _Hola_ , you're that boy from Lance’s apartment.”

Lance hadn't realized Keith was still on the screen. He panicked slightly.

“Yes ma’am. My name is Keith. I'm a close friend of Lance’s.”

“Close friend. That's good to hear he has made new friends,” she embraced Lance, “Thank you for doing the Skype call for Lance to see.”

“It's no problem. I'm here supporting Pidge and Matt, figured it was the least I could do.”

“So nice. Are you single? Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?”

“ _Mamí,_ what kind of question is that?” screamed Lance.

“Melly, that isn't the type of question you just spring on someone,” said Martha.

“Thanks _Tía._ ”

“It's alright,” Keith chuckled. He noted how much of Lance’s boldness came from his family, “No. I'm single. No boyfriend.”

Melly and Martha looked at each other with curiosity at the lack of mention of a girlfriend and the growing redness of Lance’s face.

Neither pressed the subject.

“The next round is about to begin,” said Keith.

“Then, put it on!” yelled Armando.

Henry smacked the back of his head. “Manners.”

Keith switched it back for them to watch the next round.

After another hour, the announcer called for the last two competitors to approach the arena. It was Matt’s turn to take the controls, but all three seemed to have a gloomy face.

“Why do they look that way?” asked Lance.

Keith suddenly switched it back to his view, “Got a text from Pidge. Seems that during repairs, some of the wires had some damage they weren't able to repair within the time frame. They’ve lost several of their abilities.”

“No way!” screamed Ricardo, “this is gonna suck for them.”

“Team Voltron has got this,” screamed Armando.

“They’ll do their best,” said Lance.

Keith switched it back, but it turned out just as they feared. Voltron couldn't even pick up the speed it once did and when the drill tried to release, it wouldn't spin. Matt did his best to keep the fight going for long, making it the longest battle of the night, but in the end, they lost when the giant hammer of the opposing robot smashed through the top of the cube.

They took second place, but they held their heads high knowing they were going to nationals.

Keith flipped it back to himself one more time, “I'm gonna buy them some ice cream. They did really well.”

“Yeah that sounds like a good idea. Give Hunk a big congrats hug for me!” said Lance.

“Will do. Gonna pack up. See ya after break. It was nice seeing you all again.”

“Good bye,” they all said.

Keith’s logged off Skype.

“That was thrilling,” said Martha, “who knew that even existed.”

“Hunk’s pretty happy with being in the sport. It's really made his experience with college way better.”

“And I'm sure that's building up his resume, too. He was always a smart boy,” said Melly, “Alright, everyone clean up. Dinner in an hour.”

Lance cleaned up the laptop and cables, changing everything back to its original form. As he picked up the laptop, he smiled remembering Keith.

He interacted so politely with his family - it was endearing.

Lance smiled peacefully and returned to his room and regular routines of being home; all with Keith’s smile haunting the back of his head.

<\\\>

_Keith: Happy Thanksgiving!_

_Keith: <Image Sent> _

_Lance: Love it! Where are you guys eating?_

_Keith: The hotel. They had a Thanksgiving special. We’re all heading home tomorrow._

_Lance: Well tell Coran, Pacco, Hunk, Pidge, and Matt happy thanksgiving._

_Keith: None for me?_

_Lance: <Image Sent> _

_Keith: Um … oh?!_

_Lance: You hate?_

_Keith: NO! Oh, God no! I mean, I've seen you shirtless before._

_Lance: I shouldn't have done it… too far..._

_Keith: No, please don't! I'm just shocked._

_Keith: I like it._

_Lance: Good. ^_^_

_Lance: See you on Sunday._

_Keith: Yeah. Sunday._

_ <\\\> _

They didn't see each other Sunday. Keith took too long to come home, but he didn't dare rush Matt and Pidge from time with their family just because he had hoped to sneak in some time with Lance.

He couldn't stop looking at the picture. It was daring of Lance to do it and Keith kept racking his brain over why he would do it.

They were only wingmen with benefits - was this simply a new part of the benefits?

Regardless of the matter, Keith kept the image as motivation to try. He already knew the level of lust he had over Lance, but he needed to figure out the emotional aspect of it all.

He started to realize, slowly, that he may have wanted something more - deeper - with Lance. He kept hopeful that maybe this would be his chance at something.

If Garth could find Levy, maybe Keith could have something too.

Monday morning rolled around and both men were early to the halls for meet up before class; both had hoped to get a moment to collect their thoughts, but both surprised each other by being their usual meet up time.

They smiled, having missed each other the week of break, but neither of them would admit it to the other.

Lance’s mind kept fiddling with what Natalie said - take the risk or get out. There was no more middle, not with his heart at stake.

Keith’s mind kept pounding with telling him the truth - his truth - and finally allowing someone to enter his life.

Neither remembered what they needed to do the moment they saw each other.

With the return from Thanksgiving came the dreaded finals week. There was no time for error and even Lance set aside his lust for Keith to concentrate on studying. Their sessions became more work and less kissing, but during any moments of brain stress or frustration, they would encourage the other with a quick kiss.

As the weeks progressed, they moved their studying from the couch to the bed, in order to give each other more room to cuddle comfortably as they studied.

For Keith, when he wasn't with Lance, he was with Pidge, telling her everything from his past.

Finally, the Thursday of finals week, after taking his last test, Keith sat Pidge down in her apartment and finished telling her everything.

“Oh, Keith!” she leaped to him and cried on his shoulder.

“Please don't. You know I can't handle it when you cry.” Regardless of the fact, he hugged her. It felt relieving to tell her the whole story.

She was right, he hadn't lived the worst life one could live, but it was hard and it made perfect sense why he hated change.

The parts he filled her in on about himself - the parts she hadn't known - made her appreciate him even more.

“But Keith, how can you honestly sit here beside me and tell me you can't tell him this? There is no reason for anyone to hate you for that story. That was your past and it's shaped you to the person you are today. Don't hide it from those you want close to you.”

“But you can see why it's hard to think about… especially…” His hands started to tremble as the tears welled in his eyes.

It was the one part of his story he could never tell without crying.

Pidge grabbed his hands, “You don't have to say it again. It's alright.”

“Thanks Pidge… this really did help. I think I'll try and tell him tomorrow after the party.”

“That might be a good idea.” She smiled wiping the tears away, “go back to your apartment and get some rest. Unlike you, I still have one more exam tomorrow.” She kissed him on the cheek like a sister would, “Play some guitar and relax your mind. It seems that works better than video games, based on what you told me.”

Keith huffed out a smile, “Yeah. I'll give it a shot again.”

Keith went back into his apartment and stared at his guitar case. He hesitated at first, but then he remembered what Pidge had said. Setting his sights on moving forward, he opened the case and played to himself, blissfully, until midnight.

#

“Did you tape a mirror on your sweater?” asked Lance to Pidge.

“It's an ugly sweater party. You seeing yourself in the mirror is the ugliest thing in the world!” She laughed devilishly.

Lance laughed, “Genius.”

“I know I am.”

Lance sported his _dabbing_ ugly sweater with light up reindeer horns, flourished with small bells. He turned to Hunk, who sported a _Mario_ themed ugly sweater and bright yellow Wario hat.

“Did your dad say if he got New Year’s week off?” asked Lance.

“Yeah. We are good to come with you guys to Orlando for the week.” They high fived.

“You guys are gonna be in Orlando for New Year’s?” asked Allura. She sported a bright white and pink Spider-Gwen sweater, matching perfectly with Shiro’s red and blue Spider-Man sweater.

“Yeah. My whole family is reuniting in a timeshare they rented for the week. It's really big with over eight rooms. We plan on going to Magic Kingdom on New Year’s Eve and some other parks throughout the week.”

“Why don't we see if we can go?” asked Allura, “that would be a lot of fun.”

“It can be my parents Christmas gift,” said Shiro.

Keith’s ears seem to stand at attention. His black Darth Vader sweater and black Santa hat looked angelic - well, to Lance anyway. “I like that idea. It's been awhile since we’ve all been to Disney. Never been with Allura,” he said.

“But on New Years Eve? It's gonna be packed,” reminded Shiro.

“Yes, but we take it easy. Maybe even get a nice told so we don't have to drive into the parks, even for one night,” said Allura.

“We’ll see what they say. If they agree, we’ll pay for it,” Shiro smiled to Keith and Allura.

Keith held back a larger grin than he displayed, especially once he turned and saw Lance’s eyes light up with excitement. “If you guys go, you’ll have to tell me! I'll add you guys to the dinner reservation,” said Lance.

“That sounds wonderful! I'd love to see Natalie again!” said Allura.

“I'll let you know, Lance,” said Shiro.

“Aw! Now I wanna go!” said Pidge.

Matt laughed, wearing his Grinch green sweater, “We’re gonna be on a cruise with mom and dad, remember.”

“Oh yeah! That's way better!” she laughed.

They all gathered around Shiro, Allura, and Matt’s living room, enjoying drinks and snacks as they all had themselves a small friend’s holiday. As the night progressed, they played Christmas games and a few rounds of dreidel.

“Time for the holiday Lance Special,” screamed as he made his way to the kitchen. To his surprise he bent down to grab the bag with the supplies and, upon standing up, found Keith standing right behind him already holding a coffee mug.

“You wanna help me?” Lance laughed.

“Do I get the first cup?” replied Keith.

“Always.” Lance took the mug from Keith’s hand and handed him the pot to boil water. Keith proceeded to do as he was told but was later distracted by the scent that escaped Lance’s coffee tin.

“Do I smell peppermint?” asked Keith.

“Peppermint bark, yes.”

Keith smiled delightfully before Lance went over to him and moved the tin under his nose, “What else do you smell?”

“Mocha. Dark roast from Colombia? And… a hint of orange?”

“Yep! You've gotten good at this.”

Lance and Keith kept talking, their closeness unavoidable.

“When are those two gonna hook up?” asked Matt as he started to prepare a menorah.

“Soon, I hope,” replied Hunk, “I'm tired of all the sighing Lance does when he gets texts from Keith.”

Pidge chuckled to herself, “Then, the only two that aren't seeing it is them?”

“I guess so. Lance talks about it with me briefly, but it mostly becomes his list of reasons why he can't… _I hate his stupid mullet_ … gets repeated several times. Which means he really like Keith’s haircut,” laughed Hunk.

“I wish they could just see it,” added Allura, “maybe if we…”

“No!” said Pidge and Shiro.

“You can't get involved. If Keith feels pressured to do anything outside of his own comfort zone he abandons it. It's best to let him figure it out,” said Shiro.

“But…” said Allura.

“Look, just trust that they will figure it out,” Shiro kissed Allura, trying to make her understand.

Lance started to pour the water into the French press and stir the grounds into the water. Keith watched like a child at a candy store window, gleefully excited to drink. After sometime, Lance pour him the first cup.

Keith inhaled the rich aroma of the peppermint. Taking a sip, the orange hint left a refreshing after taste he didn't expect. “Perfection.”

Lance poured everyone else a cup, “I'm glad you enjoyed it.”

As he passed out the coffee, Lance gave Hunk a signal. Hunk started to pass each person an envelope.

“What’s this?” asked Allura.

“It's a gift from us,” replied Lance, “well, mostly Natalie.”

They opened their gifts and each of the pulled out a ticket. “My sister’s company is doing a rehearsal production of _Grease_ on the twenty-eighth. Since all of you will be in Orlando, she gave me a ticket for each of you to come see.”

“Oh, that's so sweet!” said Allura. She pulled out her phone and started texting Natalie.

“That's cool. Can't wait,” said Keith.

They continued to enjoy their coffee and snacks before Keith grabbed Pidge, “Hey. Can you do me a favor and distract everyone for a few minutes? I wanna take Lance to my apartment.”

“Are you going to tell him something?”

“No… but I'm gonna make arrangements to do it?”

Pidge rolled her eyes. “Just tell everyone you're going to get more snacks and ask Lance to help you.”

Even though Pidge knew better that no one would question it, but none of them knew to what degree of affection they usually showcased in private.

“Yeah… that works…”

After a few minutes, Keith took Lance to his apartment.

“Why the sneak away?” asked Lance, looking up for a hopeful mistletoe.

“Here.” Instead, Lance was stopped in his tracks with Keith holding a small box to him, “Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday.”

“You remembered?” Lance’s heart couldn't stop beating.

“The twentieth, right?”

“Yeah.” Lance started to unwrap his gift. Inside was a small coffee mug shaped Christmas tree ornament with the words _Lance Special_ written across the mug.

“It's small but…”

“Perfect,” trying to control his emotions, Lance pulled at Keith’s shirt and kissed him in gratitude. Keith didn't hesitate to return the kiss and pulled him closer by the waist. Only realizing they couldn't be away for long did Keith separate from Lance, but left a small message, “Sneak out tonight.”

“What?” replied Lance.

“You leave tomorrow and so do I, so sneak out to here so we can have some time together.”

“Oh - okay.” Lance grinned.

“Let’s grab some snacks really quick so it doesn't look like I was lying”. They laughed and did just that.

After the lighting of the menorah and Christmas tree, they played a few board games and Hunk surprised Lance with a birthday cake. Finishing off their night, they all hugged each other and went off to their own apartments.

About an hour later, Lance snuck out of his apartment, making sure that this time he had his keys. He gently knocked on Keith’s door.

When Keith opened it, he didn't speak until the door was completely shut. “My ninja skills are improving.”

Keith laughed, “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

Keith and Lance walked over to the couch. He had set up a nice throw blanket and two mugs on the coffee table.

Lance looked perplexed by the romantic set up and noticed that Netflix was already on the television.

“What’s all this for?”

“I made some mint hot chocolate, figured you want some. I was about to watch _Nightmare Before Christmas_.”

“Okay…” Lance hesitated to sit. Keith spoke of the set up too causally. There was no way he didn't realize how romantic it all seemed - could he?

Once settled, Keith handed him the mug and pulled the blanket over their shoulders. Pressing play, the movie started and both leaned against each other and watched in peace.

It was relaxing, but Lance felt all kinds of nervous.

_First a duel Christmas/ Birthday gift._

_Then, hot chocolate, a blanket, and a movie._

_What the hell is he doing to me?!_

When they both finished their cups, they put them down on the table and started moving closer to one another.

It was the moment Lance let his head rest on Keith’s shoulder that Keith realized how everything must have appeared - but he didn't panic or object. For once, he felt relaxed and that it was fine.

He realized that his talks with Pidge had helped him get to this point. His mind cleared of worry over how he would approach Lance, but he still felt the twinge of fear thinking about opening up.

There were no regrets in his mind that he wanted Lance to know - but it was fighting his own demons that seemed to be the struggle.

“Hey Lance…”

“Yeah.”

He tried to say it. Say something that could get him motivated enough to start speaking, but instead he asked another question, “Why did you send me that picture on Thanksgiving?”

“I thought you would like it…” Lance pulled away from Keith and tried to hide his blush. After all this time, nearly a month, now is when Keith decided to bring that up.

“I - I did… but what made you do it? I mean that was kind of bold of you.” Keith couldn't look Lance in the face.

“I really don't know. I thought it was a good idea… at the time at least.”

“I should have sent you one back…”

“What?”

“I should have sent you one back… I mean, if our terms are to be held to an appropriate standard, it's not fair. Unless you don't want one?”

Lance could feel his face flushing a bright red, “I - I don't object…”

“Okay… then, I'll see about doing one during break.” Keith couldn't understand himself. For one, he was avoiding the whole point of asking Lance over. Two, he was avoiding it by promising to send a half naked picture of himself to Lance.

His mind jumbled with the thought and he nearly internally exploded.

Instead, he needed some release and moved closer to Lance, “What time do you leave tomorrow?”

“Around noon.”

“Then, you should be going back soon to get some sleep.”

“I should… not that I will.”

They both smiled and leaned closer to each other for a kiss. There passion intensified quickly as they both realized a certain list of facts:

_I’m not gonna see him for at least a week._

_When we do see each other, we won't be alone._

_This kiss is going to kill me._

_I'm going to miss this most of all._

_No…_

_I'm going to miss him most of all._

Something within their kissing and thought process led to both starting off on the couch and leading towards the bed. For a second they separated and Keith shoved Lance back on the bed. He immediate proceeded to crawl on top of him, but not before he removed his sweater and undershirt.

Lance only had a second to glimmer at the sight of a shirtless Keith before he returned to kissing him.

_What is happening?_

Both couldn’t comprehend it, but neither could resist it. It wasn't long before Lance removed his own sweater and undershirt.

For the first time they held each other in a passionate embrace without the hassle of fabric, allowing their skin to touch. Keith reveled in the feel of Lance’s bare back, never having notice how strong and formed his shoulders were.

Lance’s hands trailed on Keith’s arms, enjoying the definition and strength and now realizing how he was able to physically force him to sit at Pizza Haven.

They couldn't get enough. Keith braced his hands on the side of Lance’s ribs causing Lance to bite away a moan of pleasure.

This was not what Lance expected this night. He had expected some kissing and cuddling, but never Keith on top of him shirtless. To his surprise, Keith started trailing down with his lips, taking every inch of Lance’s skin into consideration.

Lance’s hands gripped Keith’s head, encouraging him to go further, but then he thought about it.

He wanted to be with Keith this way, but not. This was a moment he dreamt of, but in his own mind he believed they would be in a relationship - a real relationship.

Suddenly it all felt wrong. His heart was too into it and Natalie’s advice came bursting in. He felt Keith’s lips start to reach his stomach and his hand reach the button of his pants.

“Stop!” Lance shot up and pushed Keith away. He didn't mean for it to come out so dramatic, but his body simply finally caught up to what his mind was telling him.

“Oh god, I'm sorry…” Keith realized it then too.

This wasn't the plan for today - he shouldn't have done it.

“No… it's fine… I just. I'm not ready for that, is all.”

Keith rustled his fingers through his hair, “It's fine. I got lost. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have pushed you to that point.”

“You didn't. Oh god, please don't think you pushed me to do anything. I just realized it a little later is all. I'm sorry for leading you on.”

“You didn’t. Please don't think you did.”

They sat there in silence, both awkwardly trying to figure out what to do next.

“It was a simple mistake. We both got lost in the moment,” said Lance with a smile.

“I completely agree.” Keith started to stand off the bed, but Lance grabbed his arm.

“Hey. I don't want to go too far, but that doesn't mean we need to stop kissing.”

Keith smiled back, “Fine, but to be safe, let's at least have our shirts on.”

They chuckled and agreed.

Putting back on their undershirts, they didn't hesitate to return to kissing.

In the end, Keith never said a word of what he had planned, but he didn't regret a second of holding Lance in his arms for one more night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week... oh, next week!
> 
> Double chapter week!
> 
> I will be posting chapter 11 on Sunday as normal and then, as a bonus, chapter 12 on Wednesday. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed! See you next week :)
> 
>  
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Double Chapter Week! (More info at the end)
> 
> Thanks guys so much for the support. I hope you enjoy the chapter :)
> 
> -Luna

_ (Group Chat: Team Voltron) _

_ Pidge: Happy birthday Lance! _

_ Matt: Happy birthday! :D _

_ Allura: Have the happiest of days! _

_ Shiro: Happy birthday!!! :)  _

_ Lance: AW! Thanks guys! You're all so sweet! _

_ Pidge: What are your plans today? _

_ Lance: <Image Sent> _

_ Lance: Spending the day with family and Hunk and getting to legally buy drinks with all my meals! Better yet, on dad’s dime! _

_ Matt: Living the dream.  _

_ Allura: I hope it keeps going well. _

_ Shiro: Take a shot in our honor. _

_ Hunk: Oh, I'll make sure he does!  _

_ <\\\> _

_ Keith: Happy birthday, Lance. _

_ Keith: <Image Sent> _

_ Lance: … _

_ Lance: … _

_ Lance: … _

_ Keith: You okay? _

_ Lance: I dropped my phone after panicking and had to snatch it off the floor before Armando picked it up… DAMN. _

_ Keith: Damn good or damn bad? _

_ Lance: Damn REALLY good. Although horrible timing. I'm having dinner with my family and I've had a few rounds of shots. _

_ Lance: I almost screamed when I saw the picture. _

_ Keith: lol. Sorry, but I promised you a picture like the one you sent me. Figured it was best saved for your birthday. _

_ Lance: Much appreciated.  _

_ Lance: … _

_ Lance: Very much appreciated. _

_ <\\\> _

_ (Group Chat: Team Voltron) _

_ Keith: Happy Hanukkah, Pidge and Matt! Merry Christmas, Lance and Hunk! _

_ Pidge: Thanks Keith! Merry Christmas to you all. _

_ Shiro: Hope you guys are enjoying your Hanukkah. _

_ Matt: We are enjoying counting down the days to our cruise. All the gifts from the parentals have been vacation related. _

_ Pidge: It's been wonderful. _

_ Lance: Are you guys gonna still make it to the play? _

_ Pidge: Yeah! We leave the 30th. _

_ Lance: Awesome! Well, keep enjoying your holiday. We are relaxing from an intense Buena Noche from last night!  _

_ Hunk: I still can't feel my feet! All that food made me into a ball. _

_ Lance: lmao!  _

_ Lance: It's crazy loud in my house. Almost all my aunts and uncles and cousins are here.  _

_ Hunk: It's been fun as always. _

_ Keith: How many relatives do you have? _

_ Lance: I keep losing count after 40. _

_ Matt: DAMN! _

_ Pidge: I think I'll let you guys go. Keep enjoying your holidays! _

_ Allura: <3 _

_ <\\\> _

_ Keith: You seriously have that much family? _

_ Lance: When you start counting aunts, uncles, and their kids, yeah. Both sides have a lot of relatives. Makes for loud holidays. _

_ Keith: For us it's just us five. _

_ Lance: But that's sweet! _

_ Keith: I'm not complaining. _

_ Keith: Have a Feliz Navidad.  _

_ Lance: …  _

_ Lance: Did you just say that in Spanish? _

_ Keith: More like Google translator helped me say that in Spanish. _

_ Lance: … _

_ Keith: What? _

_ Lance: Lay off the eggnog. lol. _

_ Keith: What?! _

_ Lance: You have to be drunk. That was too sweet. _

_ Keith: I can have a sweet side. My evil side is almost as equal to my sweet side. _

_ Lance: lol. _

_ Lance: Okay. Well, thanks. Merry Christmas! _

_ <\\\> _

Lance stood with Hunk and his family in front of the playhouse in Orlando. They had arrived in town that morning, settling in the timeshare and even calling a room for himself. 

He could tell this vacation was going to be a good time. 

For his birthday, his parents gave him an extra day at Disney for him and one friend, plus a gift card with five hundred dollars to spend. 

He had spoken with Hunk about the tickets.

“Hey, buddy… would it be cool if I ask Keith to come with me that extra day? You know I would normally ask you but…”

“You're finally gonna ask him on a date?” Hunk laughed.

Lance jumped back, “What? What are you talking about?”

Hunk placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder, “Stop trying to fool yourself by trying to fool me. It's not working. You like him and you should try. Go for it.” 

Lance held back tears from his best friend’s big heart. “It's not a date, but thanks.”

Hunk shook his head and shoved him away.

Now, they waited for the rest of them to arrive. From the distance, Lance saw Allura holding Shiro’s hand as they approached with Pidge, Matt, and Keith not far behind.

Lance grinned to Keith.

Keith grinned to Lance.

Both kept their composure around the others, but were happy to see each other. They didn't realize they weren't fooling anyone. 

Lance quickly returned to the moment and reintroduced everyone to each other. Melly blushed at Shiro’s nice words yet again as Allura laughed at his pleasantries. 

Once they could go in, Lance started to have a small skip to his step. He grabbed Hunk’s arm as saw Markus already sitting on the row reserved for them. “I'm so excited for Nat!”

“ _ Si.  _ She’s been dreaming of this moment for so long. It's nice to finally see her live one of her dreams,” said his father, Henry.

“I've never been to a play before,” said Pidge, “well, a real one. The elementary school plays don't count.”

“Me either,” said Keith, “concerts, plenty, but never a play.”

“Well, you guys picked the perfect first play.  _ Grease _ is way better live than it is in the movies,” said Lance. 

“Made better that Nat is Rizzo,” commented Martha.

“For sure!” slightly shouted Armando.

They all started to scrabble around to their reserved seats, trying to figure out who would sit where. They don't know how - but they didn't complain - Lance and Keith sat beside each other. Pidge sitting beside Keith and Hunk beside Lance. When they looked to their best friend, they each gave them an encouraging smile.

Keith still couldn't get it out of his chest. He had kept talking with Shiro about Lance during the holiday break. Shiro was proud that he finally told Pidge and kept telling him that Lance would react the same.

Shiro could see that Lance cared for Keith, but telling that to Keith would be pointless. If Keith couldn't see it himself, then there was no point.

Sitting beside Lance reminded him how much he wanted to open up and how much he wanted to push for something more. 

Keith wanted Lance - in all the selfish ways one would want a person.

Determined, he would tell Lance before they went back to Tampa. His thought was while they were in Disney together on New Year’s Eve.

_ New Year’s Eve. _

“Shiro, did you tell them?” asked Keith.

“No! Almost forgot! Would you guys mind if we all met up on New Year’s Eve? We’re treating our parents to a trip to Magic Kingdom. Figured we could all meet up.”

“What? That's awesome! For sure!” said Hunk.

Lance smiled to Keith, not needing to say how happy he was. 

“The more the merrier,” added Miguel, “be kind of cool to have two families there. Gives the old people some new friends.”

“Excuse you!” said Melly, “I do not need to be set up with new friends, but it would be a pleasure to meet your family. Lance has told me so much about you both and how nice you've been to him. The more family always equals a better time.”

“ _ Mamí… _ ” 

Keith blushed lightly - he talked about him to his parents. Endearing.

“Good. We’ll be staying on property for the evening, so we plan to go to the park that morning. If you don't get there early, they will close the park once it's full,” said Shiro.

“Good to know,” said Henry.

The lights started flashing and then dimmed. They all sat up straight to begin enjoying the musical. The music swelled with the familiar opening song that almost the whole audience knew. Lance couldn’t help but move his head to the music, knowing that this experience was going to be nostalgic and new. 

The first time Natalie appeared, the whole McClain family held back tears. They were proud of her accomplishments and knew that this was a big moment for her. 

The play was flawless and the familiar words of the character study with Lance started becoming more apparent with the play to Keith. He loved every moment of it, especially enjoying Natalie’s rendition of “Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee.” At times, Keith even found himself lip syncing along with the songs, especially “Grease Lightening,” although he was surprised to see the change in lyrics from the movie. He decided he liked that play much more. 

During intermission, everyone stood up to get snacks and drinks.  

“Natalie is rocking it!” commented Ricardo as he walked with Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Keith to get some candy. 

“She was born to be Rizzo. Next act has her big song,” said Lance, “she’s been super nervous about it.” 

“Well, she’s a well trained singer. Her pitch is on point and she had been able to handle some of the harder notes,” added Keith. 

“Sounds like you know a thing or two about music?” said Hunk.

“I dabbled in it for a while as a teen,” he offhandedly said. Pidge shook her head and grabbed him by the jacket. He fell back and his ear landed near her mouth.

“Dummy, you just gave yourself the perfect segway to talking with Lance. Grab him and chat it up.” 

“What? No, not here… this isn’t the place to have the conversation.” 

Pidge rolled her eyes and released her grip on him, “Pointless.” 

They gathered their candy and took back their seats. Still having some time, Keith leaned over to Lance. Pidge still made her point across and it was clear to Keith - he at least needed to arrange a moment to speak with Lance. 

Then, Lance spoke first, “I still can’t believe how great of a job she’s doing! This is insane.” 

“Yeah… um, Lance…” 

“Yeah?” 

He lights started to flicker again and then it went dim.

“I’ll tell you later…” 

The play continued, but Keith’s mind kept drifting away to Lance. He enjoyed seeing the pride in his eyes for his sister and the slight nodding of his head during a song. Keith actually enjoyed seeing the whole McClain family doing the same and finding their strength for each other adorable. 

Then, his mind finally returned to the play. Natalie took the stage alone, only a spotlight on her as he noticed Lance reach for his hand. It surprised him, but then he felt the slight tremble and it became clear to him what was happening. 

He was nervous for Natalie and needed the support of another to watch without breaking apart.

Keith squeezed his hand and kept his focus on Natalie instead, but then she began to sing and something else happened. 

The song - that song - hit him like a lightening bolt. He had heard it dozens of times, but seeing and hearing it live, holding Lance’s hand, made him realize something deeper. It was him. This song was him.

_ “There are worse things I could do, Than go with a boy or two…” _

It wasn’t perfectly his situation, but the meaning was all the same. Natalie sang with such heartache; the unknown truth of trying to open up to someone, yet fearing the result of being so bare with another.

_ “I could flirt with all the guys, Smile at them and bat my eyes, Press against them when we dance, Make them think they stand a chance, Then refuse to see it through, That's a thing I'd never do…” _

Keith knew how to hide. He had done it all his life and even with his previous boyfriends he never completely opened up. They were distractions to his problems, but not Lance.

Lance was a problem.

But a problem he desperately wanted to solve.

_ “I could stay home every night, Wait around for Mr.Right, Take cold showers every day _ _  
_ _ And throw my life away, On a dream that won't come true…” _

Keith didn’t realize it, but he started to lean forward in his chair. The words resonated so much through him. He knew the lyrics. He knew the verse approaching that summed it all up - everything that had been his problem these past few months.

These past few years. 

His hand squeezed Lance’s just as she reached the final verses of the song. Lance looked to him as he wiped away the proud tears for his sister. Then, Lance felt a drop of water land on his hand. He looked down to see it was a tear - Keith’s tear. He watched Keith as he lip syncs with Natalie at the end of the song.

_ “I could hurt someone like me, Out of spite or jealousy, I don't steal and I don't lie, But I can feel and I can cry, A fact I'll bet you never knew, But to cry in front of you, That's the worst thing I could do...” _

As the music and lights faded the audience cheered. The McClain family all wiped away their tears, finally having seen Natalie achieve her dreams. 

Lance, however; reached over to Keith’s cheek and wiped away the tear. He gave Keith a knowing smile and laced his fingers with his hand. 

Pidge noticed their hands and the tears that rolled down Keith’s face. She didn’t say anything, but she knew that something inside of him had changed and that soon they both would change for each other.

#

They all waited in the alley in the back to greet Natalie. When she stepped out, they all cheered and gave her flowers. Her eyes found Markus as she leaped to him for a kiss and some encouraging, but truthful words of her performance.

“You were born to play Rizzo,” he whispered to her.

She kissed him again before turning her attention to the others. “Thank you guys so much. This means the world to me. Shall we all go someplace to eat?” 

“After party at Denny’s?” asked Miguel.

“You know it!” she replied back. 

They invited everyone to attend, but Keith held back in the ally for one second with Pidge. “I’ll tell him at Disney. That’s when I’ll do it. I’ll start off small and see what feels comfortable, but I’m going to start it there. I have to.” 

Pidge smiled and tugged at his ear, “You better or I’m going to beat you up.” 

They both laughed and caught up with everyone else.

<\\\>

_ Lance: DISNEY DAY! _

_ Keith: Yeah, I know. _

_ Keith: <Image Sent> _

_ Lance: What the hell?! You guys are already there?! _

_ Keith: We said it would be packed. _

_ Keith: <Image Sent> _

_ Lance: HOLY CRAP THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE!!!! _

_ Lance: We are getting on the boat to cross the lake. _

_ Keith: You guys should be able to make it just as they open the gates. _

_ Lance: We will rush! _

_ Lance: DISNEY DAY! _

_ <\\\> _

After the struggle of getting in, the two families finally met up in front of Cinderella's Castle. Keith felt jittery when he saw the McClain family approaching. 

Lance was going to meet his parents. 

His parents were going to meet Lance. 

His parents were going to meet Lance’s parents and giant family.

How did he not realize before how horrible of an idea this could be?

His gaming mind kicked in and his brain kept trying to click the flee button, but reality wasn’t so easy. “Hi!” he shouted a little too loudly. 

Lance looked at him weirdly, “Hi. We’ve arrived.”

“Yeah… um, mom. Dad. This is our friend Lance and his family and Hunk and his dad.” They all went around and started introducing each other by name.

“Shiro and Keith have spoken about you all. Thank you for allowing us to join you. I know the boys really wanted to spend some time with their friends outside of school,” said Midori.

“Of course! We love having large groups of people,” said Melly.

“It’s especially fun when you make it to the top of a coaster line and tell them you have twenty in your party,” added Henry, “The look on their faces.”

“Alright! Where to first?” asked Lance. 

“Let’s take Ginny over to Fantasyland and start there. She’ll tire out and then we can do the better rides,” suggested Trish.

“Yeah, that works.” Lance picked up Ginny in his arms. She was dressed like Anna from Frozen. “But to be fair, we all love those rides too.” 

They proceeded to walk around Fantasyland and start making the long - very long - lines. Regardless, it allowed for good conversation and joke making. Natalie and Allura always kept close, talking and sometimes whispering whenever Lance and Keith got a little close to each other. The parents got along famously. Tia Martha always cracking jokes of times none of them could completely understand.

Ricardo and Armando stuck together like glue, only pulling Lance away when they wanted his attention. Hunk, Lance, and Keith entertained Miguel and Trish with Ginny. On almost every ride, Ginny insisted she ride with Lance, leaving Hunk to ride with Keith. 

Keith didn’t mind. He loved watching the little girl spend time with her uncle. He secretly just enjoyed watching Lance be so playful with a child. Plus, it gave him and Hunk sometime to catch up and talk. Only now did they realize they really hadn’t taken the time to get to know each other and how horrible they were for not doing so earlier. 

Around noon, Ginny started falling asleep on Lance’s shoulder. Trish grabbed her away and said it was time to progress to the other rides. 

“First coaster! Let’s go!” shouted Lance, now sporting a set of Mickey ears from the shops. 

“No way… not happening,” said Hunk, “you know I get all sick on the big rides.”

“Come on Hunk! It’s be fun!” Lance grabbed Hunk’s arm and started dragging him over to Space Mountain. Keith shook his head as he followed with the rest of the family. 

Those that decided to ride - and one dragged Hunk - made the line into the building. It took nearly two hours to finally get on, but Lance screamed in excitement as he boarded the small space shaped car. “This is gonna be awesome!” 

As the coaster took off, they all screamed with excitement, expect for Hunk. He kept holding his hand over his mouth, trying not to panic and puke. 

Once off the ride, he ran to his nearest trash can and threw up. Keith stopped behind him and patted him on the back, “You okay there, buddy?”

“I think my insides are coming out.” 

“Next big ride!” shouted Lance. It only caused Hunk to puke more. 

As the day progressed, they started taking more breaks, feeling the pain in their feet from standing and walking. A few rounds on the Carousel of Progress and the People Mover and they were good to keep going.

When Ginny awoke, it was already time for their reservation at the Be Our Guest restaurant. The sun was starting to set and their stomachs were ready for food. 

Each enjoyed their meal and the company. “Natalie, you really were amazing,” said Hunk.

“Oh thank you! I can’t believe next week we start doing daily shows,” she replied.

“You’ll be great in all of them,” added Ricardo.

“Are you guys excited for next semester?” asked Kenji.

“Yeah. Lance and I signed up for all the same classes again,” said Keith.

“He was able to get me straight B’s all last semester, so I wasn’t going to not take a class without my study partner,” laughed Lance.

“It’s good that you made a close friend,” added Midori, “did Keith tell you we were worried about him?”

“No,” Lance grinned. Keith panicked. “But I can see why. Before me, he didn’t have any kind of social life. A fair trade.” 

“Very,” chuckled Shiro.

“There could be some added bonuses,” said Natalie. She promptly got kicked under the table by Lance.

“Well, keep up the friendship,” commented Martha, “it’s obviously helped both of you tremendously.” 

They both blushed as the same thought crossed their minds - they didn’t want friendship. They wanted more.

After dinner, some of the adults and Ginny left the park to get some rest in their beds. They would return later in the night for the countdown. For now, Hunk, Lance, Ricardo, Armando, Natalie, Markus, Shiro, Allura, and Keith continued running around the park riding rides. They switched partners every so often, giving everyone a chance to spend some time with each other. 

Getting on Peter Pan’s Flight, Natalie and Lance rode together, which gave Natalie a chance to talk. “You guys seem closer? Did you finally have the talk?” 

“No… and don’t get mad. I am going to though.”

“Oh really? Finally making a decision?” 

“I’m going to ask him to go to EPCOT with me tomorrow as a date.” Natalie nearly squealed. “And I’m gonna make it clear that I’m asking him on a date, so if he says no then I know for sure this won’t work out.” 

“Good. That is what you should do. And if he does reject you, then I’ll go to EPCOT with you and we can drink our way around the world to forget and mend your heart. Deal?” 

Lance hugged Natalie, “Deal.” 

After getting off, they went directly to Haunted Mansion, where Hunk proceeded to jump at anything that popped out, much to the amusement of Keith and Lance. Exiting, Shiro looked at the time. “We should start heading to our spot if we wanna try and reserve a large area for the countdown.” 

“What? We have enough time for one more ride. Big Thunder Mountain!” said Lance.

“I’m good,” said Hunk, “I’ll go with Shiro.” 

“Yeah, Lance, I’m even kind of tired. I could use some sitting time,” said Ricardo. 

“Come on! One of you should go with me.”

_ This is my chance. Alone time with Lance… I can say it. I can try and say it… _

“I’ll go. Come on, before too many more people get in line,” said Keith.

No one else spoke up, for their various, but slightly similar, reasons. They agreed to text once they were off the ride. Running, the two boys dashed to the other end of the park and reached the entrance, “Perfect. Even with the wait time, we should be out before the fireworks start,” said Lance. 

They entered the line and started waiting. They kept silent, until Keith placed his forehead on Lance’s shoulder. 

“You okay?” asked Lance.

“Yeah… do you mind if I stay like this?” 

“No…”

Keith reached for Lance’s hand and held it for encouragement, “Okay…”

Lance couldn’t believe that Keith was holding his hand, at Disney, in public, around hundreds of people. It was as if that day at the arena during the first robot competition never happened. He decided to not speak of it, scared that if he brought it up, it would end. 

What he didn’t realize was what was going through Keith’s mind. He kept trying to remember all the lines he had told Pidge. Every last detail of his story and how she reacted. He remembered lying in bed with Lance, and knowing that that feeling was something he wanted, but he wanted it to be real. He thought about all their days studying and kissing, encouraging each other to keep pressing forward and doing their best. 

He thought about the day they almost went to far and how, afterward, he realized how badly he wanted Lance in that way, but with more emotion, more connection; with an understanding of mutual affection for each other that wasn’t masked by a set of terms he now found ridiculous. 

He remembered their first kiss at the club. Their almost second and then their real second. He thought of the moment they started making out after creating their terms and then how comfortably they shifted to Lance studying and him playing games. He recalled that feeling of normalcy in that moment, how it felt so natural between them and that it how it was meant to be. 

He remembered Garth saying that being in a relationship was all worth it. 

“Lance…” 

“Two,” said Lance. Without realizing it, Keith and Lance had made it to the front of the line, boarding the train and preparing to ride. Keith hated himself for wasting the time in line thinking instead of speaking. Now, he had to determine that once they were out, he would say it then. As the lap bar locked in place, the coaster started. After a few swerves they reached the first incline. Lance raised his hands up in excitement for the drop. 

Keith had his arms crossed still sulking, but then it stopped. The train suddenly stopped and an announcer spoke from above. 

“We are sorry, but Big Thunder Mountain has suddenly stopped. Please remain seated in your trains as it could begin at any time. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working on the problems as we speak. Thank you.” 

“Are you serious?!” screamed Lance, “damn it!” He looked at his watch and noticed that they were reaching close to midnight. He pulled out his phone and texted the situation to the group. 

While he did that, Keith wondered if maybe this would be his chance. What better time than having Lance locked down with a lap bar on something he can’t escape? 

The announcer spoke again as Lance updated Keith on the text messages. “They said to just run over as quickly as we could once we’re off. They are at the large train platform in Main Street.”

“Okay… Um - Lance…” 

“Yeah?” Lance was clearly frustrated with the situation. 

Keith grabbed a hold of Lance’s hand. It made Lance twitch with wonder, but the sudden additional burst of attention kept him silent. 

“Um - there is something I’ve been wanting to…” 

The ride started again and as the train started falling down its first fall, Keith cursed underneath his breath. As it reached the second lift, Lance and Keith could see the first half of the castle show starting. “Damn it! We’re missing it!” shouted Lance, but the coaster ride continued. 

Once over, the boys sprinted out of the ride. Lance trying to make it to the meetup spot. Keith trying to keep up with Lance. 

“No, no, no! It’s the last minute!” screamed Lance.

_ The last minute of the old year…  _

Keith didn’t care anymore about making it to the spot. He was determined to make his own personal goal happen. Lance kept cursing under his breath as they ran past Pirates of the Caribbean and The Jungle Cruise. 

“Ten, nine, eight…” They heard the speakers counting. 

“Lance…” Keith called out, but Lance kept going.

“Seven, six, five, four…”

“Lance…”

“Three, two…”

“Lance!”

Keith grabbed Lance’s hand and yanked him back into a long and luscious kiss. He didn’t care who was looking, all he wanted was Lance’s full attention and this was the only way for him to think of how. 

“One… Happy New Year!” shouted everyone and the speakers surrounding them. The joyful music played as the fireworks started to shot into the air, but all Lance heard was the beating of his own heart.

What felt like time freezing, Lance and Keith finally separated and looked directly at each other, holding the other in his arms. “Happy New Year, Keith…” whispered Lance. 

“I’m adopted…” said Keith. The words just coming out without any further hesitation.

“What?”

“You keep wondering what it is about why I keep hesitating about talking about growing up with Shiro or why I seem kind of off socially. Well, it all starts off because I’m adopted and I wasn’t adopted until I was seventeen.” 

“You’ve only had a family for four years?” 

“Yeah… I was a foster kid since I was four and they were my foster parents when I was fifteen, but they couldn’t officially adopt me until I was seventeen… there is more. Way more, but I at least wanted to start there.” 

Keith looked away from Lance, not wanting to see Lance’s face. They stood in silence, but neither moved away from their hold on each other. 

Finally, Lance forced Keith to look up at him as he kissed him sweetly, “That’s it? That’s the big secret, or at least the start of the big secret. So what if you're adopted. They are a cool family and you are still Keith. Right?”

“Yes, but that’s only the beginning of the story…”

“And do you plan on telling me the rest?”

“I want to.”

“And I want to listen.” 

Keith smiled and moved his hand to the back of Lance’s neck, “It’s gonna take me sometime to tell it all to you. It may not seem like much, but I’ve kept those doors shut for years and I never wanted to look in again… So…”

“So, you tell me as you’re ready. Now at least I know the beginning and I won’t feel as if you’re always hiding something from me.” 

“Thanks Lance…”

“No, thanks for finally opening up. I’ve got you.” 

Keith went for another kiss, but then Lance’s phone buzzed.

“It’s Markus. He’s yelling at me to hurry up. Come on, we’ll talk more another time. We should get going back to them first.”

“Yeah…” 

They held hands all through the park until they were near the group. “You guys seriously got stuck?” asked Hunk.

“No joke. Ran here as fast as we could,” said Lance.

“Well, now that we are all here… I was hoping to do this with the fireworks, but,” said Markus. He took a step back from Natalie and took her hand. Going down to one knee, he pulled out a small box and opened it to reveal a ring. Natalie gasped as did the rest of the family. “Natalie, I have been in love with you since the first time I saw you my freshmen year of high school. I still don’t know how I managed to gain your trust and earn your love, but now that you were able to live one of your dreams, I hope you will give me the chance to live one of mine. Will you marry me?”

“ _ Si… Si!” _ she cried, leaping onto him and kissing him. 

The McClain family went bonkers, jumping on top of them and holding them closely in their arms. In the middle of the chaos and the hundreds of pictures they all started to take, Keith walked over to Shiro and whispered to him, “I started to tell him. I told him I’m adopted.” 

“Oh? And what did he say?”

“That its no big deal, but he’s happy I opened up.”

“Just like I said… so, what now?”

“I’ll keep telling him as I brave up and, hopefully, I will then earn the courage to finally seek some happiness.”

“Good. Cause you deserve it.” Shiro reached his robotic arm around Keith and gave him a bear hug. 

“How beautiful,” said Midori, “why can’t you do that?” She looked over to Shiro who ended up shaking his head despite Allura’s laughter. 

After the excitement settled down, they all started to leave the park; Natalie unable to look away from her new ring. As they reached the transportation station, they all started to say their goodbyes and congratulated Natalie one more time. 

Lance and Keith’s stares lingered, but they did not move closer to one another. They still weren’t ready to be open around people they knew, but at least now they felt more connected to each other. 

Making their way to their transportation slots, the two went their separate ways. Keith felt overwhelmed with emotions. Proud of what he had done. Even though Pidge wouldn’t get the message until she arrived back from her cruise, he still sent her a text.

<\\\>

_ Keith: I did it. I started having the talk with him and he took it just as you said. I think this is gonna work out really well. Can’t wait to see you. _

<\\\>

Just as he put his phone in his pocket, he heard Lance calling out his name. Keith excused himself for a minute to meet Lance halfway.

“What’s up?”

“What are your plans tomorrow?”

“Nothing. We check out of our hotel in the morning and then we were just gonna drive home.”

“You wanna go to EPCOT with me tomorrow? My parents gave me two tickets and some spending money as a birthday present. I was hoping, maybe, you would like to go with me as a… date?”

“Date? As in, like dating?”

“Yeah… no more of this wingmen with benefits. Let’s go on a real date.” Lance bit his lip waiting for an answer. He had never felt so nervous.

“Yeah, okay… totally!” Keith smiled, “Does ten AM work for you? I can meet you at the park entrance.”

“Yeah! Yeah that totally works. Alright then, it’s a date.”

“Yeah, it’s a date.” 

They both stood still and looked at each other, but neither moved.

“I really should get going. See you tomorrow.” Lance took some slow steps away from Keith before darting away towards the monorails.

“It’s a date,” Lance whispered to himself confidently, remembering the kiss they shared at midnight.

Keith returned to his parents, Shiro, and Allura. He couldn’t stop smiling even when the bus arrived. The same phrase repeating again and again in his head.

_ It’s a date… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now you see why I couldn't make you guys wait until next Sunday for Chapter 12. Wednesday will be the chapter 12 post. 
> 
> IT'S A DATE!
> 
> Thanks so much for all the comments and kudos! You guys are amazing. I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm nervous to see what you think of the next chapter...
> 
> I also can't get over Keith getting on Big Thunder Mountain. I just imagine seeing emo Keith from season 2, crossing his arms all throughout the ride, grumpy and pissed. I wish I could draw. lmao! But picturing it is magical for some reason.
> 
>  Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> \- Luna


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Double Chapter Week!
> 
> You guys overwhelmed me with comments for chapter 11! My heart is so warmed up! Thank you all for the support and as a thank you here is chapter 12.
> 
> Guys! They are finally on a date (I took long enough... lol)
> 
> -Luna

“You can't wear that! Didn't you pack anything that is date worthy!” yelled Natalie as she dug around the clothing from his suitcase, “I'm just gonna have to take you shopping!”

“I have two hours before I need to meet him… look I can wear this,” said Lance as Hunk sat at the edge of the bed.

“No! That's not cute enough! You have to make a great impression.”

“I really don't think he has to,” said Hunk.

Natalie rolled her eyes and tossed a shirt at Hunk’s face.

“How are you more nervous than me?” asked Lance.

“I want this to work out perfectly for you,” she placed her hands on his shoulder, “he’s your future husband and your first date will be so important for when you tell the kids.”

Lance raised an eyebrow and pushed her arms away, “Okay… you've gone a little marriage crazy. That ring is getting into your head. Natalie, I'm pretty calm about this and I’d like to stay that way.”

She groaned, “I just think you guys are so cute together.”

“Thanks, but let me figure this out. Okay?”

“Boo! But fine. Hunk, don't allow him to leave looking like a fool.”

“Yeah… okay.”

Natalie left Lance to get ready. “I am actually kind of nervous. I never expected him to say yes.”

“Why not? I can tell he’s been crushing on you for a while.”

“What? Why didn't you tell me?”

“Cause you're blind. Don't worry, he never noticed either. Both of you are so self-absorbed, we knew if we said anything, both of you would argue.”

“I… I hate you all…” Lance sat on his bed, “so you think he likes me?”

“He said yes to a date.”

_And that kiss at midnight…_

“You're right. I don't know why I'm getting so worked up about this.”

“Cause you really like him. Lance, I've been your best friend since we were five. I've never seen you like someone this much. Trust me, there is nothing to worry about.”

Lance smiled and got dressed.

<\\\>

_Keith: I'm here._

_Lance: So am I! I've already been groaped by security._

_Keith: lol. In line for that._

_Keith: Wait for me at the entrance all the way to the right._

_Lance: I see you!_

_ <\\\> _

Lance waved his hands up as Keith walked past security. He froze, stunned by Keith’s appearance.

Mullet held back by a hair tie. Cute black headband holding back his bangs. The shagginess of its appearance. His red plaid shirt left unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up and a black Guardians of the Galaxy shirt with black jeans.

“Holy crap, you look hot,” Lance said aloud.

Lance had not intended to say it aloud.

Keith blushed and chuckled, “Thanks for breaking the tension early. I needed that.”

“No problem,” Lance tried to cover his blush with his hand.

“You look good to. Loving the vest and t-shirt combo.”

“You're just saying that.”

“I am not.”

They smiled to each other, for a second forgetting they were standing in Disney.

“I guess, we should go in. World Showcase opens in one hour. Hope you don't mind, but I got us a few FastPasses online for Soarin’ and Frozen. Both those lines tend to be pretty insane. Our best course of action is to do rides first and then drink around the world,” said Keith pulling out his phone and opening his Disney park app.

“I thought I had asked you on a date?” Lance laughed.

“I'm sorry… I didn't mean to overstep.”

“Hey, don't. I'm glad you thought this through. I've never done drinking around the world, so I honestly don't know what to expect.”

“Neither have I. These were tips from Shiro and Allura.”

_He planned our date with his brother. Sweet!_

“Alright. Then, let's go on some rides!” Lance handed Keith his ticket. After passing the entrance, Lance saw the giant silver ball. “Let’s start there.”

“Okay… hey, wait.” Keith grabbed Lance’s hand and dragged him to the center of the entrance. An employee was taking pictures for guests. Keith gave him his cellphone and pulled Lance close.

Lance couldn't drop his smile when Keith’s hand moved around his waist. Mimicking the gesture they posed together for the two pictures.

“I've sent it to you,” said Keith as he looked at the picture on his phone. Both of the men loved it.

“We look good together,” commented Lance.

Keith grabbed Lance’s hand and intertwined their fingers, “I like to think so.”

“You're being rather forward. Not complaining.”

“Or just overly focused. I guess, since our terms have changed, it cleared up how I see things… how I see us.”

“Same.” Lance squeezed his hand, “I want us to act like we’re on a date. Not pretend, but knowing this is real. No more bullshit.”

“I can agree to that. Come on, let's get on the ride.”

They held hands as they got in line for Spaceship Earth. They chatted about the small things, mostly Keith trying to convince Lance to play Destiny with him and that he wouldn't mind helping him train late into the night.

When they got on, they made silly faces for the picture and enjoyed the history lesson on the slow moving ride. They cuddled together and enjoyed the simpleness of each other’s company and that it was in public - and neither cared.

This is what they had wanted and now it was nice to know so did the other.

After getting off the ride they made their way to the others. With each ride, they got closer and even snuck in a few kisses. It was comfortable - natural - and it all seemed like something they had been doing for so long.

To a degree they had and when they reached the Coke Stop, where they tried the different types of sodas from around the world, they began to discuss it all - all the feelings they had hidden from each other.

“When did you realize it?” asked Lance.

“That I didn't want it to be _benefits_ anymore?” Keith started to enjoy the first drink, a pleasant fruit taste, “I’m sure it was earlier, but I knew it for sure the day I hooked you up with Nyma.”

Lance took a drink of another soda, a pleasant and refreshing lime flavor, “Wait, the day of your panic attack?”

Keith took a swig of another, it tasted nasty, like the worst kind of cough syrup. He groaned and poured one for Lance. After Lance also groaned in disgust, Keith answered, “Yeah… I may have lied about why I had the panic attack.”

“Wait? It was because of me?” Lance stopped moving, “I'm…”

“Don't apologize. I needed it. I can't lie,” Keith looked away from Lance, not sure he could say the next statement while looking at him directly, “I’ve never felt this connected to anyone before. It scared me. So, I panicked… and I ran. I would have kept running had Shiro not sat me down and talked. He’s been doing that for me since I was adopted.”

“Remind me to thank Shiro for his continuous attempts and being awesome.”

Keith laughed, “I tell him all the time… how about you? When did you know?”

“I'm positive I knew the day we made the arrangement, but I knew for sure the first time I slept over. When, I woke up, I saw you sleeping… yeah, I may sound kind of creepy, but you're cute when you sleep and I realized I didn't want that to be the last time.” Lance blushed, but this time he did not hide his face.

“We’re both idiots.”

“Major idiots.”

They took each other’s hand and continued on for more rides. As noon approached, they started moving to the World Showcase. Standing near the middle, the two boys wondered which direction to go.

“Our Frozen FastPass isn't until eight at night, so at this point we can start playing Around the World,” said Keith.

“How does one play Around the World?” asked Lance.

“Simply, you start in either Mexico or Canada and you start drinking, around the world. The goal is to make it and survive.”

“Who’s picking us up?” Lance joked.

Keith laugh, “Shiro said to text him when we were ready. He refused to let me take my bike over, saying he knows for a fact we would not be anywhere near sober enough to even walk to the car, nevermind drive home. He said, he made it to Japan and passed out on one of the benches with his friends.”

“Oh man! We have got to beat his score! Where did he start?”

“Mexico. Which means Tequila.”

“Let's get started. You ready?”

“Yeah… ready as I'll ever be.”

They made their way to Mexico where they entered a large fake Aztec pyramid. Once inside, they found the tequila bar and made the line to enter.

“This is gonna be a huge mistake, isn't it?” asked Keith.

“Very likely. If my parents gave me five hundred bucks to enjoy, then they know how large of a mistake this will turn out.”

“Then, let's not hold back and make this whole thing a giant mistake that we will laugh about later.”

They approached the bar and made the first of many bad decisions. Each ordered a tequila flight. With each shot, they felt the burn of it and after they each finished their three, they could already feel some slight looseness of their bodies.

“ _Gracias amigo, aquí dinero extra,”_ Lance left a tip before they started out for the Three Caballeros ride within the Mexican plaza.

“I like it when you speak Spanish,” Keith already could feel the _truth serum_ working, “its sexy…”

“Yeah…” Lance pulled Keith closer and whispered in his ear, “ _Si tu quiere yo hablo español cuando tú me mandas.”_

Keith shivered in delight, the tequila worsening the effect. “What did you say?”

“If you would like, I can speak Spanish whenever you ask.”

“Okay…” Keith gave Lance a quick kiss before they boarded the ride.

Lance let loose, singing along to the music of the ride and pointing out all the different Donalds throughout. He told Keith how his mother used to go to college in Mexico for a summer and anytime they would ride this ride, she would point to one of the buildings painted on the wall to show everyone where she lived while his Tia Martha would always sing along with the song as the Three Caballeros was her favorite movie as a teen.

Getting off the ride, they heard a band starting to play near the restaurant. Lance grabbed Keith’s hand and led him to the mariachi band playing. When they stopped, Keith pulled Lance by the waist and held him close. Lance knew some of the songs, admitting later that his grandmother was big fan of the traditional Mexican music to the point his grandfather surprised her with a serenade on their fifth wedding anniversary.

He had never seen her so happy.

Once done, they left the plaza only to stop again at a cart outside for frozen margaritas. They decided the shots were a bit much, so they only ordered one drink and shared. Before heading to Norway, Lance pointed to some _sombreros_ of varying of colors. He put one on Keith and another on his own head. Asking a cast member to take a picture with his phone, they posed wearing the hats and drinking out of their straws from the same cup.

Putting the hats back, they held hands and headed to Norway. Finishing their previous drink, they walked around the shops, looking at the different trolls figures and Frozen merchandise. Keith admitted to liking the movie Frozen a little too much and that he would sing the songs with Pidge while they would raid on Destiny.

They laughed and made their way to a small cafe to get some pastries and a beer each. Taking a seat at a small table, Lance winced at the bitterness of the beer, “Damn this is strong.”

Keith moved his face away in disgust, “We should have listened to the cashier and gotten the wine, but we have to drink it, right?”

“If we want to win the game, yeah.” They both looked at each other and tapped their glasses together. A cheers before downing the remainder of their drinks. Both digging their spoons into the worms in dirt to chase the taste of the beer.

Once the initial flavor was gone, they walked over to China and ordered a lychee cocktail each. The taste was sweeter and more pleasant, which made it easier to drink slowly as they enjoyed the shops. Lance looked over to the panda umbrellas and thought about buying one, but decided that, over time, he may accidentally lose it to his drunk mind.

They decided to get a snack and grabbed some potstickers. Sitting in the small restaurant, Lance asked a curious question. “You said there was more to your _secret._ When will I learn more, no rush.”

“In time…” said Keith as he drank his cocktail, “I only recently told Pidge my whole story. I actually told her as a way to practice telling you…”

“You practiced?” Lance found the gesture charming.

Keith popped a potsticker in his mouth, “Yeah…”

“Then, I can’t wait, but I can. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah,” Keith reached over to Lance’s hand, “it makes perfect sense… and thanks.”

“Next stop?”

They moved on to a small outpost dressed to an African style. They had small sets of drums that Lance started to play with before going to the stand in line to get them a beer. When he returned, he found Keith playing with the drums, oddly holding a steady rhythm as if he understood how to play. When he saw Lance, he stopped and approached him, a shy look on his face.

“Drummer?” asked Lance.

“I only dabbled in high school.”

“You are buzzed and made those drums sound like an ancient mating call. I highly doubt you dabbled.”

Keith laughed, drinking his beer and thinking over his personal bucket of information he was comfortable to share. It became easy once they entered Germany and ordered a pretzel. He realized some facts about his past, although slightly connected, meant no harm. “I played mostly piano and guitar.”

“Oh yeah! I remember seeing those in your apartment.” Lance broke a piece of pretzel off and feed it to Keith.

“I only recently picked up my guitar again.”

“Why did you quit?”

Keith sighed and stopped, looking into Werther's Caramel shop, “Due to several mistakes I made.”

“Mistakes?”

Keith shook his head and couldn’t look Lance in the eyes, “Not ready…”

Lance pulled him into his embrace before entering the shop and leaned in only leaving a few inches space between their faces, “Then, don’t worry.” Lance kissed him, “Let’s get the grapefruit beer Miguel told me about.”

“Yeah… okay…”

They went to the back of the German plaza and ordered each one of the beers, holding each other by the waist. Lance ordered a bratwurst for good measure. After buying a pickle christmas ornament from the shop, they walked over to Italy. The beers took a bit longer to enjoy, so they stayed behind for a street show.

The wooziness of their heads and body were starting to get the best of them. Time felt still as they sat on a bench and leaned against each other. Even after the beers, they stayed in each other’s arms as they watched the show, but once it finished, both struggled to get up.

“Come on… we have to keep going. You have to beat Shiro.” Lance started laughing.

Keith darted up, trying to keep steady, “Wine. We are in Italy, let’s get wine.”

He looped his hand into Lance’s and dragged him to the small shop that served the various wines. Lance ordered a sparkingling rose, while Keith ordered an orange champagne.

The fanciness of the cups made Lance want a picture. They posed leaning their cheeks against each other, holding their cups close. They gave funny faces, with tongues sticking out before Lance took the picture. When he looked down at the picture, he smiled.

“Wait, one more. Hold up the camera,” said Keith.

Lance agreed and prepared his phone, but right as Lance was going to take the picture, Keith moved his face to kiss him. The camera clicked and Lance had an image of them happily kissing.

They looked at the image and then turned to smile at each other. “Perfect,” whispered Keith.

Lance gave him a side grin and pulled him by the hand into the next country. Once in America, they ordered a frozen slush with a shot of whiskey. The moment they drank it, they regretted ordering one each. The taste was pleasant, but the strength of the liquor already made it harder to walk straight.

“We need to eat soon… like really eat,” said Lance.

“Yes,” Keith tried to regain some of his momentum, “Japan is next.”

“Sake bombs and food… sounds good.”

Keith swallowed the drink trying to figure out how he was going to take more.

They staggered their way into Japan and before they could reach the small restaurant, Keith pulled Lance into the shop, “No way! I have to get Shiro something!”

“Like what?”

“Some kind of candy or a shirt… oh man look at the anime and video game merch!”

Keith dragged him through all the sections of the store, grabbing a Space Dandy shirt for himself and an umbrella shaped like a sword in a sheath for Shiro. Before paying, he picked up two pink lucky cats and added them.

“Here… one for you and one for me.” Keith blushed. They finally finished their American drink as they ordered their meals in Japan.

Eating his bowl of beef udon soup, Lance took the small pink lucky cat.

“What is it?”

“Apparently, they say it brings you luck… pink means, luck in love.”

“Oh?” Lance took the cat and squeezed it in his hand.

“I - I just want you to know I’m serious about this.”

Lance reached across the table and held Keith’s hand, “So am I. Thanks for the gift.”

They held hands for a bit longer before continuing to eat.

Before gathering their drinks from Japan, they sat and watched the drum show near the Japanese temple and enjoyed the small museum about all things “Kawaii!”

Lance got the two beers and the two shots of sake. He gave one to Keith as they settled up on a standing table.

“Alright, with this, we beat Shiro,” said Keith.

“For the pride!” shouted Lance not caring who heard him.

They dropped the shots of sake into the beer and then immediately chugged the drink. It was a bit of a struggle in the end, but both were able to down it without much issue - at least until they started walking.

Their legs felt weak and their bodies wanted to pass out, but they kept moving. Keith strapped the sword umbrella onto his back, causing Lance to call him a samurai.

“Funny but I’m not Japanese. That is Shiro and my parents. I’m Korean.”

“Serious? I never knew that.”

“Yeah… I really don’t know much about it, neither culture actually, but I kept my original last name.”

“Yeah, that’s right. I never noticed that you and Shiro have different last names.”

“My parents allowed me to keep my family name.”

“That was really nice of them.” They entered Morocco and decided to try and figure out how their legs worked before ordering a wine, “How did that feel?”

“What feel?” Keith stumbled around a corner and needed Lance’s arm to stay up. Keith’s face saddened slightly, “I felt horrible that day… but over time, I was so happy I can’t even explain it now. My parents and Shiro have given me so much, but at the time I didn’t see it.”

“But now?”

“Now, I don’t understand how I lived my life without accepting the concept of family.”

Lance kissed the side of his head, “Family is amazing.”

“I love yours. They are so friendly and open.”

“I can verify that Natalie loves you back,” Lance laughed loudly, “and I’m sure the rest of the family really likes you to, although I haven’t asked.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

They finally decided to get some wine from Morocco and watch the belly dancers. Lance even joined a bit, causing Keith to cover his face in laughter and his blushing nature. He noticed that Lance understood how to move his hips, but he seemed to be holding some of it back in order to be more humorous.

They eventually reached France where Lance immediately wanted some pastries. They walked together, arms looped around each other support.

Each ordered some fine pastries and an orange gray goose cocktail.

“Wanna split a crepe too? I'm still really hungry,” asked Keith.

“Go for it! The food is helping me stay alive,” said Lance as he sipped that last drops of his drink.

He watched Keith stand and adjust his shirt before attempting to move. He laughed to himself at the misguided, drunken steps, but then Lance fell over across the bench and couldn't figure out how to stand.

When Keith returned to Lance, he held the small plate with the crepe and tilted his head downward. “Do you want me to sit on your face?”

“Have an opportunity to get close and personal with you… sure.”

Keith hadn’t expected that response, “Come on, we’re at Disney.”

“You’re the one who made the threat.” Lance pushed himself to sit up.

Keith planted himself beside him as they began to eat. Conceptualizing their next move, Lance started to play with Keith’s hair. Not wanting to move away from his touch, they ended up spending an hour on the bench in France.

“I like your hair. It reminds me of Kovu from Lion King two.”

“Are you serious?”

“What? I always had a thing for dark and brooding heroes. It’s a compliment.”

“What is your obsession with lions?”

“Um, cause they're awesome! What is your obsession with space and aliens.”

“Cause they are real.”

“You’re one of them. You’re one of those people that believes in aliens.”

“You can’t seriously believe we are the only creatures in the universe. There has to be more life.”

“Do you wear the aluminum hats?”

“No… that’s ridiculous… it doesn’t work.”

“You’re too funny Kovu.”

“No. Not a nickname I’m taking.” Keith laughed.

“Then what?”

“Red… how about Red?”

“You’re gamer name?”

“Why not?”

“Cause it’s not personal.”

“Then, we’ll figure it out eventually.”

“Eventually? Are you saying my tactical moves and swift game are winning you over.”

Keith turned to face Lance and hovered over his lips, “Who’s saying I’m not the one that’s been playing you?”

“Evil…”

They kissed on the bench, but had to hold back, remembering that they were in a theme park and there were children and people watching. The last thing they needed was to be kicked out for getting too hot and heavy.

Wanting to progress, they made the walk over to England. “Two more… we can do this!” shouted Lance. They knew they weren’t walking in a straight line, but they needed to make it. Before reaching the Rose and Crown, Keith suddenly remembered something.

“Hold on… I need to consult with Shiro.”

“Why?”

“There is this drink he gets here that isn’t on the menu. I wanna try it.”

<\\\>

_Keith: What is that drink?_

_Shiro: Oh look, a sentence. You must not be drunk._

_Keith: Drink_

_Keith: name_

_Keith: !_

_Shiro: Okay, maybe you are. What country?_

_Keith: England_

_Shiro: The Sheriff of Nottingham_

_Keith: Thank you._

_Keith: Pick up later._

_Shiro: Just call me when you’re ready._

_ <\\\> _

“I got it. Let’s go!” Keith yanked Lance over to the bar and ordered two Sheriff of Nottinghams and a basket of chips. The bartender gave them each a large cup of Strongbow cider and a shot of Midori. Once dropped, the drink turned a bright shade of green.

“Nurse it…” suggested Keith, “It’s not like a sake bomb.”

“I don’t think I can physically chug it if I wanted to.”

When the fries arrived, the boys found a standing table and slowly drank their ciders and ate the chips. “This was way harder than I expected,” said Lance.

“That’s what he said,” replied Keith.

Lance busted out laughing, some people around them looking. Keith grinned in return.

“Did you seriously just make that joke? Oh man - I am so proud of you.”

“Shut up…”

“No, no, best part of this date just happened.”

Keith shoved Lance lightly. He heard some music coming out of the background and wanted to see what was happening. Finishing their drinks, they went outside to find a band playing rock hits from England.

Keith immediately immersed himself in the music, singing along with every song and jamming out beside Lance. Lance watched Keith, enjoying seeing him so free and hearing, what he believed to be, a decent singing voice. Lance just wasn’t sure if his drunken state just made it sound that way.

When the show ended, they entered the shops. Keith bought himself a Beatles Lego set and happily started to talk about what he was going to waste his time on for the remainder of the break.

“Alright, Canada… last one…” said Lance.

“We got this…” replied Keith.

Forcing every step ahead of them, they made their way into the restaurant's bar to order a drink. Ordering a fine wine, they toasted to victory and drank their final drink.

“We survived,” commented Lance.

“No… I think that is to be determined if we wake up tomorrow.”

“I can’t go home like this… Natalie won’t leave me alone if I do and Ricardo will start doing things to make me puke.”

“I’m sure my parents will let you stay if you’re this drunk…”

“Okay…”

Taking a really deep breath, they started to make their way towards the front of the park after a quick call to Shiro for pick up. They couldn’t recall how they made it back to the front of the park or how they located the pickup/drop off area. They weren’t even sure if they had gotten into the right car until they heard a snickering Allura in the front seat.

With a yawn, they both leaned into each other and started to fall asleep.

“Best first date ever…” whispered Lance.

“The best day ever…” replied Keith.

<\\\>

_Allura: <Video Sent> _

_Allura: Let your parents know we have Lance and will deliver him back tomorrow. I don’t think we should separate them just yet._

_Natalie: OMG! They are so drunk and adorable! I’m so happy they had a good time._

_Allura: They keep muttering as they sleep. I swear they are having a conversation with each other in their dreams._

_Natalie: HAHA! I’m sure. Well, I’ll let my parents know. Hopefully he doesn’t get all pukey. Worst way to end a date._

_Allura: I’ll keep you posted. :)_

_ <\\\> _

“Mom. Dad. We’re home. We brought Lance.” Shiro guided Keith into the house as Allura helped Lance. Kenji and Midori walked into the living and laughed at the state of the boys.

“You had fun?” asked Kenji.

Keith gave his father a thumbs up, “EPCOT is way better when you’re an adult.”

Midori laughed as she shook her head, “Well, Lance, welcome to our home. I would give you the tour, but I’m not sure you would remember it or make it.”

“Thank you so much, Mrs. Shirogane…”

“Let’s take them upstairs to Keith’s room. At this point I couldn't care less if they are in the same room, I just want them resting.” Kenji went to the kitchen to get them some water while Allura, Shiro, and Midori assisted with getting them to the bedroom.

Once settled, they closed the door and turned off the lights, promising to check on them in the morning.

For a moment, they both laid on the queen size bed in silence, just trying to adjust to the spinning room and the chaos of their brains. Reaching over and sipping their water, eventually they both sat up on the bed and leaned against each other.

“I needed this…” said Keith.

“The drinking or the date?”

“Both…”

Lance smiled as he rested his head on top of Keith’s. They comfortably stayed in the position, trying to sober up.

“I want you to be my boyfriend,” admitted Keith, “but not yet…”

“What is that suppose to mean?”

“I want you to get to know me first… the whole me before I can call you my boyfriend.”

“Keith, that makes no sense. We can get to know each other more and be boyfriends.”

“No… I need a prize. Like a goal at the end of the tunnel. If I become too comfortable, I may just close myself off again and I don’t want to do that… not to you.”

“Do you not trust yourself to have both.”

There was no hesitation in his response. “No.”

“But then what does that mean for us… I don’t want to date other people. I really like you, Keith.”

“I don’t want to see anyone either… why not, for now, just state we are dating. That second phase.”

“Dating exclusively, but still not in a relationship?”

“Yeah. That…”

“I’ll be honest, I’d rather just call you my boyfriend.” Lance kept silent, trying to figure it out. He didn’t understand why it had to be so complicated. Why couldn’t it be simple. “What are the terms?”

Keith inhaled and decided to move around Lance. He straddled him and sat on his lap, holding Lance’s face in his hands. “We do everything a couple would do. Nothing different except I am expected to eventually tell you my whole truth.”

“So, you’re my boyfriend?”

Keith rolled his eyes and gave up, “Yeah. I guess I am… there really isn’t another way around it?”

Lance moved his hands on Keith’s waist and pulled him closer, “How about this? Once you tell me everything, you upgrade like a videogame character. You go from boyfriend to ultimate boyfriend. Sounds good?” Lance laughed.

“I guess that’s an easy way to trick my mind. It’s a goal and I do love earning achievements.”

“Then, done. Terms established.”

Keith leaned in and kissed Lance - kissed his boyfriend. He moved his hips against Lance and realized, quickly, what it all entailed and it thrilled him to no end.

_His touch is mine._

Lance move his hands up Keith’s back. The feel of his bareback shook him to the core as he slipped his hand inside his shirt. He enjoyed the movements of Keith’s hips and didn’t want any of it to end.

_His ears are mine._

Keith started to nibble down Lance’s chin and moving towards his earlobe. He gently bit down causing Lance to moan out a warm breath against Keith’s neck.

_His hair is mine._

Lance dug his fingers into Keith’s hair, tugging at the ponytail and massaging his scalp with his fingers. Keith’s lips kept exploring Lance’s neck as his hands slipped to underneath his shirt.

_His lips are mine._

Lance forced Keith to return to his lips, wanting the taste of his tongue and the bitterness of the breath. It felt different, more passionate and refined. Their terms had changed and now they weren’t holding anything back.

Their lips spoke all the words they had been hiding; all the raw emotions they felt for each other. This is what they were waiting for. This is what they had wanted.

Lance pulled off Keith’s plaid shirt as Keith began to unbutton Lance’s vest. Once they were only in their shirt and pants did Keith roll his hips again against Lance. “God…” whispered Lance as his grip on Keith’s hips tightened.

Wanting to move forward, Keith began to run his hands under Lance’s shirt to remove the garment, but then his father knocked on the door.

“Are you both awake? I heard a thud and wanted to make sure neither of you fainted.” Keith leaped off of Lance and staggered over to the door.

“No. We’re fine. Just kicked off my boots and it must have been loud.”

“Alright. I’ll be back in a bit to get you both a snack.”

Keith rolled his eyes and exhaled, “I think it’s best we stop now before one of them walks in on us. Mom doesn’t knock.”

Lance nodded his head, agreed and held the seam of his shirt down to the bulge in his pants, “Maybe we should just go to sleep.”

“Yeah. I think the room is spinning less.” Keith removed his headband and hair tie before cuddling into one side of the bed. He immediately took Lance into his arm and pulled him close. The drunkenness allowed them to quickly fall asleep, but not before each of them said one last thing.

“You really know how to show a man a good time,” said Keith.

“I took you on the date, but you planned it.”

“Still, I’m happy you asked me. I don’t think I would have found the guts to do it.”

“One of us has to be brave.”

Keith laughed and kissed Lance, “I really like you Lance… I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way before.”

“Same… it’s why I took the risk. Glad it paid off.”

“Yeah,” Keith nuzzled his nose against Lance’s as they both started to fall asleep with their noses touching, “I’m glad too…”

They went to sleep, feeling as if it was all a dream. Nothing about the day could be real - but when they awoke the next day, badly hungover, cradled in each other’s arms, they smiled knowing that for once a dream had come true.

 

Commission order made by: [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-very)

[Original Post Link](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep, from this point forward its relationship zone! Time for these boys to stop pining and start loving. The story ain't over yet! I have plenty to tell. See you all on Sunday! 
> 
> I don't know why I love drunk Keith and Lance so much... it's weird. lol. 
> 
> Thanks again for all the support! I've been having a lot of personal issues lately and you guys always brighten it with your comments and kudos <3
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> \- Luna


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS ARE SO AMAZING! I honestly do not deserve your praise. Thanks so much for all the feedback and kudos! I'm happy my story is being enjoyed by you all. 
> 
> Now, on to the new half of the story: Relationship Zone!
> 
> -Luna

_Facts about my ** boyfriend ** Keith Kogane: _

_1) He’s adopted._  
_2) He was adopted when he was 17 years old._  
_3) He was a foster kid since 4._  
_4) He became the foster kid for his current parents at 15._  
_5) Him and Shiro are really close._  
_6) He believes in aliens._  
_7) He does not wish to be nicknamed Kovu (although I will not stop trying)._  
_8) He loves ciders, but is open to drinking anything._  
_9) His favorite drink is the Lance Special (he’s amazing for saying this)._  
_10) He loves video games, especially Destiny._  
_11) He plays guitar and piano (Note to self: trick him into playing for me soon)._  
_12) He likes it when I nibble his collarbone (his body twitches and his fingers always grab my hair when I do)._  
_13) He's got really strong arms. ( I want them to hold me forever)._  
_14) He loves my family (bonus point, seems the whole family loves and approves him too)._  
_15) His parents are super sweet and funny. (he naturally learned none of their humor, but they still seem to adore him)._  
_16) His favorite color is red (mine is blue, so note: make some kind of “together we make purple” joke soon)._  
_17) He’ll protect Pidge with his whole life (Although she can clearly protect herself just fine)._  
_18) He seems to really like my neck (totally not complaining!)_  
_19) He finds my Spanish sexy (test out saying random Spanish words like zapato or escritorio to see if he gets turned on… blow his mind when I translate the words to shoes and desk)._  
_20) He loves the movie Frozen (him and Pidge really do sing the songs to each other during raids. It's adorable. He does the funny Olaf voice on purpose to make her laugh.)_  
_21) He's crazy smart (get notes from first week’s lectures.)_  
_22) He rides a motorbike (still need to ride it!)_  
_23) Somehow the term “Ultimate Boyfriend” = we will have sex when he earns the title… WTF?!_

_ <\\\> _

“You hate the idea?” asked Keith as he watched Lance furiously type on his cellphone. They sat in the Student Union having their daily _Lunch Date_ eating pizza and sharing some fries.

“I'm not saying I hate it. I'm just saying it's a lot to ask for me to wait when we nearly did it twice already.”

Keith reached over and pushed the phone down to make Lance look directly into his eyes. “The first time would have been a mistake and the second time we were forced to stop.”

“You were right about your mom not knocking…” Lance sighed.

“Now imagine if we were in the middle of…”

Lance shivered in disgust, “Yeah, we dodged a bullet, but do we really have to wait? I'm not saying it has to be like today or tomorrow, but can't we just like, let it happen? If we feel in the mood, we do it.”

Keith rustled his fingers through his hair, “I just think it would be a really good motivator for me to speak… trust me, I've…” Keith blushed and looked away from Lance, “I've been thinking a lot about taking that next step and I want to… I _really_ want to, but since that's the case, why not make that the incentive.”

Lance looked at Keith. Hearing the jitteriness of his voice, the nervous tapping of his finger on the table, and the averted gaze clearly told him that this was torturing him more than it was himself.

Keith was determined to open every door and invite Lance in, but he needed some motivation.

Lance himself - his whole self - needed to become the motivation.

“Fine. I agree. But you're responsible for stopping it if it gets too hot and heavy. Don't expect me to do it,” he giggled.

“Will do,” sighed Keith in relief.

“So, now that we have added to our terms…”

“Do we need to keep calling it terms?” asked Keith.

“No, I was only still saying it that way cause it’s funny,” Lance gave Keith a overly obviously flirtatious stare, “a little token to remind us of where we started.”

Keith laughed and shook his head, “Just keep going.”

“Are you comfortable to tell me anything new yet?” Lance’s voice went serious, knowing that the question weighed more than it appeared.

“I am… raid tonight?”

“What? How did…”

“I’ll have Pidge set up her Playstation in my apartment so we can start building your character. I bought you an online account so we could play together.”

<\\\>

_24) He does random gift giving to do things together (flipping adorable!)_

_ <\\\> _

“What are you typing?” Keith tried to take the phone away, but Lance was too quick.

“Notes… and, yeah, we can raid tonight. Why you avoiding the question?”

“I’m not. The raid has to do with telling you something.” Keith stood up and grabbed his backpack, ready to leave for their next class.

“Okay… thats weird…”

“Just trust me.” Keith snatched Lance’s phone away and started reading.

“I thought I was suppose to trust you.”

“We make purple?”

Lance waved his arms in the air. “Aw! You ruined a future joke!” Lance snatched his phone back, but Keith rewarded him with a kiss.

“Is the list necessary?”

“Yes. I want to make sure I hear everything you say. You’re the one that told me when something important is said, take notes.” Lance smiled at Keith before returning another kiss, taking his hand, and walking a blushful Keith to class.

#

“All set up. I must say this is a cute thing you’re doing for your _boyfriend_ ,” Pidge sang the last word for emphasis.

“Are you going to keep doing that?” asked Keith.

“Are you going to keep blushing anytime I say it?” Keith grumbled away from her. Pidge pounced on the couch and watched Keith, “I’m happy you did it. I never really got to tell you that.”

“I am too… you were right, I don’t know why I was hiding.”

“Pidge ten, Keith zero.”

“Stop counting!”

“Never!” she posed like a pirate holding a sword in the air, “What are you plans for today, anyway?”

“Leveling up his Destiny character and then introducing him to the clan.”

“Oh?” It took Pidge a minute to see what he was getting at, “Oh! Nice! That’s the perfect next step. Then, I should go. Don’t want to accidently be here if he knocks on the door wearing a trenchcoat ready to flash you for a _good time.”_

Pidge was given a pillow to her face for her comment.

She laughed and made her way out.

<\\\>

_(Group Name: The Fosters)_

_Keith: I’m gonna be on like 3 hours early. Gonna help the bf level up, in case anyone wants to help._

_Garth: …_

_Barry: …_

_Matt: …_

_Garth: Everyone else confused about the bf part too?_

_Matt: Yeah! When the hell did that happen?_

_Keith: New Years._

_Barry: Taking the whole “New Year, New You” to heart, huh?_

_Barry: lol_

_Keith: Shut up._

_Matt: I bet you $5 you’re blushing right now._

_Keith: SHUT UP!_

_Matt: Pay up!_

_Garth: lol, regardless, Keith, why didn’t you tell us earlier! I thought we always texted happy moments to each other?_

_Keith: I kind of wanted you guys to meet him instead._

_Matt: Playing Destiny and talking over the headsets isn’t really meeting._

_Keith: You know what I mean!_

_Barry: I think it’s nice. And I’ll get on and help. Lube up the boyfriend for the pain he’s about to feel._

_Garth: Bad Barry… that was bad…_

_Keith: You guys are horrible._

_Keith: Raid time?_

_Garth: 10?_

_Barry: Works._

_Matt: Same._

_Keith: Alright everyone at 10._

_ <\\\> _

Lance knocked on the door, holding an already brewed cup of _The Lance Special._ Keith immediate kissed him and took the cup to leisurely enjoy it. Lance walked in, dropping his bag near the couch.

“I need some of your notes,” he confessed.

Keith shook his head and proceeded to gather his notebook and tablet. Lance set himself up and they finished their coffees while Lance took his notes.

“So, the raid?” asked Lance.

“First, we are going to level you up. That might take most of the night, but we should get you ready for at least one raid.”

“Cool. I was talking more about how you said this leads to a certain confession.”

“Yeah… that…” Keith took a deep breath and moved over to cradle Lance. He left himself in a position for Lance to keep working, although Lance snugged closer. “My raid friends… they are my best friends from foster care. They are the only ones I still talk to.”

“Like, they lived in the same home as you?”

“Yes. Matt, Barry, and Garth. We all lived together from eight to fourteen. At seventeen, Garth dropped out and moved to Kentucky to live with his second cousin who finally became old enough to be his legal guardian, Barry got adopted at fifteen, and Matt moved to a different home and never got adopted, so he left to live his life after eighteen. We stayed close over phone communication and eventually started playing games online, but they were the closest thing I had to family until I met my parents and Shiro.”

“It must have been hard having to separate in the middle of your teens.”

“Yes and no. Between fifteen and seventeen, we still lived in the same neighborhood, so we went to highschool together.”

“Then, why did you go to a different home?”

Keith squeezed Lance in his arms, trying to find the courage to say it. Lance stopped typing his notes and turned to face Keith, “You want to hold off…”

“No. I wanna say it.” Keith took a deep breath, “I started getting into a lot of trouble at fifteen. Made a lot of really bad decisions. I was picked up for stealing at a Walmart which then my foster parents put in a request for me to be moved. That’s how I ended up with my parents.”

“You must have done something to make them adopt you.”

“To be honest, I don’t know what I did. I was the worst person between fifteen and seventeen. I rebelled, kept getting into trouble. Stealing, skipping school, running away from home… I just couldn’t handle the idea of being in my situation. I just kept panicking.”

Lance snuggled closer to Keith. Seeing the anguish on his face mixed with remorse and regret, Lance didn’t want Keith to even think, for a second, that any of this changed anything. Keith had his past - his own version of a dark past - but that’s not the Keith holding him now. He had grown out of it, became a better person, and all he was doing now was releasing the inner turmoil of the demons that haunted him.

“I dropped out at sixteen. I thought for sure that was going to get them to kick me out, but they didn’t. They just kept saying ‘One day, you will see we care and things will change.’ They never gave up on me, especially Shiro. I think he’s half the reason they kept me and waited for things to change.”

“Wait? How are you in college if you dropped out?”

“I went back to school in adult education once I was seventeen and decided to try again… after they adopted me.”

“What happened at seventeen that changed you?” Lance wrapped his legs around Keith and placed his forehead against his. Before Keith continued, Lance gave him a quick kiss of encouragement.

Keith told him the story, holding back the shaking of his guilt.

#

Keith drove the car as quickly as he could. No one saw him. He would be able to get away quickly. He bit his lip as he kept looking at the rear view mirror in a panic.

Panic.

That was how he always felt, which is why he needed to run away. He needed to leave them - the Shirogane family was too nice and he didn’t need to keep bringing them trouble. They had enough to worry about, never mind the mental instability of a foster kid.

Garth had told him to do it, just wait until he was eighteen and could figure out a way to make it to Kentucky, but Keith didn’t have the patience to wait. He was the youngest of the four and he already felt alone.

Garth lived in Kentucky.

Barry will graduate and go to LAU for college.

Matt already left Orlando and moved North to New York City for work in fashion.

Keith would have nothing if he didn’t leave now. Driving the car, he saw the exit for the highway. He looked to the one bag he brought and tried to convince himself that the money he stole would be worth it in the end. His foster parents didn’t need the money. He did.

Suddenly, he heard sirens. His hands shaking against the wheel of the car. He could keep driving, force them into a chase until he was able to escape. Stealing another car would be easy for him.

Instead, he knew that would only lead to more trouble and he pulled over. The cops pulled out their weapons and asked Keith to step out of the car. He slammed his forehead against the wheel and cursed under his breath.

Freedom would not come tonight.

Stepping out, he did everything the cops said as they detained him. He complied, but kept praying that no one would come get him. He deserved prison, it could be his new home.

After what felt like hours of processing and waiting in a cell, a cop showed up. He thought he was being transferred over to the prison, but instead someone had released him and the charges were dropped.

They were too good for him.

Keith walked out to the lobby of the jail and saw Midori and Kenji waiting for him. Disappointment, that was the face he wanted to avoid yet he couldn’t seem to erase from their faces. They didn’t say a word. Instead, holding a envelope, they marched out of the station and expected Keith to follow.

Getting into the back of the car was awkward. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words never came. He felt pathetic, like a failure once again. It had been a little less than a year since he dropped out of high school and he had a few more months until he was eighteen. He figured this time he would just wait and keep peace within the house.

Stepping into the house, Keith wondered if either were going to say anything. He waited silently at the end of the stairs as they settled their belongings within the house.

Silence.

Only the sound of their movement muffling around Keith. Giving up, he sighed and started his way up the stairs.

“Stop,” said Midori, “take this.”

Keith took the envelope and looked back to her. Before he could say anything, she left his sight and went to the kitchen. He went to his room and kicked off his shoes, sitting crossed legged on the bed.

He opened it and after reading the paper inside, he started to cry. He couldn’t control his tears, nor did he want to. He never imagined this day would come. He was so close to losing this dream of having this feeling. Here he had been believing that he was not important. That he did not deserve anything.

He still felt that he didn’t, but the overwhelming sensation that they deserved more overcame him.

He ran out of his room, dashing down the stairs and into the living room. Midori and Kenji turned around and saw him. When they noticed his tears, they knew what had happened. They stood up and opened their arms to Keith.

He dropped the paper on the floor and freely accepted their embrace.

In their arms, he finally felt free.

Only when he let go did he pick up the official adoption paperwork from the floor and left for _his_ room.

#

Lance wiped away his tears. He couldn’t help but feel happy. “That’s a beautiful story.”

“Beautiful. What about me going to jail for stealing their car and money did you not understand?”

Lance shook his head, “Keith! That’s not the important part of the story. It’s the fact they accepted you, flaws and all, and made you a part of their family. You put them through hell and they never gave up on you. That is family!”

Keith grinned crookedly, “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right! I can see why you were scared to tell me, but there is no shame in what you did in the past. That’s not you anymore.”

“I know it’s not.”

Lance placed his fingers underneath Keith’s chin and lifted him up to look directly into his eyes. “I still want to stay. Nothing you said has changed my mind.”

“Good…”

Lance leaned closer, “Thank you for telling me…”

“There is still more… but…”

“But…”

“Another day…” Keith grabbed Lance’s head and pulled him in for a kiss. The passion was immediately, giving in to his desires to want Lance close.

He survived it, the next part of his story and all it did was make Lance want to be closer to him. Pleased, Keith teased his fingers down Lance’s neck and inside of his shirt.

Lance removed himself for a second, “I thought you said there is more?”

“There is, but I believe I deserve at least some kissing for now.”

Lance smiled devilishly and pushed Keith onto his back. Lying on top of him, they kept kissing, moving their hands to explore the other’s body. Keith’s hands tightened on Lance’s back, wanting more than anything to be with him - fully with him - but he hadn’t earned it yet.

He had told the second hardest part of his story, but there were still more to tell.

Still, kissing Lance felt like the only important thing and he nearly forgot that they had plans to meet with his friends online.

Lance’s hand moved down Keith’s body, reaching down beside his leg. He moved Keith’s leg to curl around him, as he pressed himself against Keith. He wanted everything to simply keep going.

He loved his taste, especially his breath of coffee and sweetener.

He loved the escaping of breath whenever he started to go down Keith’s neck.

Keith’s hand gripped at Lance’s hair. He held on to what he could as he felt Lance’s hand tease over his pants. “No…” whimpered Keith, “not yet…”

“I never said I was going to take off your clothes,” chuckled Lance, “figured I’d give you some encouragement. A small taste.”

Keith chuckled, seeing the arrogance - well earned arrogance - on Lance’s face.

Keith moved his arm to cover his eyes and red face, “I hate you sometimes.”

Lance teased his fingers one more time before returning to Keith’s lips. “No you don’t…”

_No… I don’t…_

_ <\\\> _

_25) He used to do bad things (the details are not important)_

_26) He stopped because he found a family (an awesome, amazing family!)_

_27) His clan members are his old friends from foster care._

_28) Garth is OutragedKid83, Matt is AllAboutThatBass, and Barry is Poke_It_With_A_Stick. (They are some of the funniest guys I’ve ever heard)._

_29) I now have two Matts in my life… Keith’s Matt and Pidge’s Matt (may have to give nicknames)_

_30) Keith does not like it when they tell stories of their childhood (probe them to tell more)_

_31) If you allow him, he will not stop playing all night…_

_ <\\\> _

Lance kept shooting away at the aliens, trying his hardest to keep up with the other five. There was no denying it, he had become canon fodder. Racing his characters through the chaos, he at least knew one thing - even in game Keith would do anything to protect him, at least the best he could.

“Red hit a left!” screamed Matt.

“Bass to your right,” said Garth.

“Tailor watch out!” yelled Barry.

Suddenly, Lance’s character was swarmed again and he died on the spot, waiting for someone to revive him. He grumbled and looked back to Keith, lost in the madness of the game. Then, over the headsets he heard Keith speak, “Here you go babe. Now keep close to me.”

_Babe…_

Keith called Lance babe and it made him mad with happy feelings. It was a second before he continued on with the game, but it was a second of bliss.

Lance kept his character close and kept shooting at the boss. It was their final moments, just as the meter showed his near death. “We got this guys, keep shooting!” commanded Keith.

They kept at it and within minutes the boss and all his little minions disappeared. The group rested their controllers down and stretched out their hands. Keith turned over to look at Lance, relief in his face. “That was a great raid,” said Matt.

“Hell ya! Welcome to the team Tailor, you’ve got our approval for sure,” said Garth.

Lance smiled, feeling oddly closer to Keith from that comment.

“Alright, it’s four AM over here. Lance and I need some sleep,” said Keith.

“Like you’re gonna be sleeping,” laughed Barry.

“Shut up!” Keith made sure to hide his blushing face from Lance.

“Don’t worry guys, I’ll make sure to leave him in one piece,” joked Lance.

The boys laughed. “You do that. Have Keith give you our numbers so we can all text it up for the next raid,” suggested Barry.

“I’ll make sure to do that,” grumbled Keith.

“Plus, we’ll tell you stories of our golden days with Keith,” added Garth, “and he won’t be able to stop us cause we’ll start a separate chat.”

“I still haven’t given him your numbers and I’m believing that I shouldn’t.”

“Play nice Garth. You know you can’t say what you plan on doing to Keith… then he goes off and ruins all the fun,” said Matt. Keith grumbled again.

“It was nice getting to know you all. Thanks for all the stories,” said Lance.

“You’re cool. Nice meeting you too Lance. Take care of our buddy,” said Garth.

“Yeah, no more panic attacks!” added Barry.

“Night guys…” said Keith.

They all said their farewells and turned off their systems.

Keith stood up and stretched his arms in the air. Before he could move, Lance appeared behind him and hugged him, kissing the back of his neck. Keith hummed happily, “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah, I did, but I was hoping to end it with some _Lance Cuddle Bundle._ ”

“Do you have to name everything you do?” Keith wasn’t complaining  - he found it cute and loving.

“Yes. It makes everything more personal.” They stood there for a few minutes, simply enjoying the comfortable nature of being with each other.

“You plan to stay tonight?” asked Keith. He squeezed his hands on Lance’s arms.

“I would prefer it. It’s not like we’re hiding anymore, so I doubt any of them would question us cuddled together in the morning.”

“Good,” he turned around in Lance’s arms and kissed him, “then go get ready for bed. You know where to find my PJs.”

Keith’s phone buzzed.

<\\\>

_(Group Chat: The Fosters)_

_Garth: Approve_

_Matt: Second that_

_Barry: Third._

_Keith: Thanks guys, I really like him._

_Matt: I can see why. He seems like the type that will break you out of your shell._

_Barry: You need that._

_Keith: I feel comfortable around him. Does that sound right?_

_Garth: Yep. It’s how I feel around Levy. Like she was the part of me that I was missing and never realized I needed to find her._

_Keith: Yeah… like that._

_Matt: Happy for you. It’s about time we hear some good news for the Kogane._

_Keith: I miss you guys._

_Matt: Same_

_Garth: Same_

_Barry: Same_

_ <\\\> _

Lance finished getting ready and returned to the room only wearing the PJ bottoms. Keith didn’t bother looking away this time. Seeing Lance only reminded him he had one more thing to tell Him and then it would all be over.

However, he knew today wouldn’t be that day.

Lance crawled into bed and took his place on the pillow. Before he could reach for a blanket, Keith rolled the blanket over both of them and spooned Lance. Lance adjusted himself against Keith and both quickly  - and happily - went to bed.

#

“Look at how cute they are!” screeched Natalie.

“I hadn’t seen this yet,” said Allura squealing.

“Pidge, did you really have to let them in,” Shiro felt bad coming in on them sleeping, but Pidge insisted they all go together to wake them up. Miguel peaked behind Shiro and took a bunch of pictures with his phone for future blackmail.

“Lance has no idea his sister is in town. What better way to surprise them,” Pidge laughed wickedly.

“Why are they still sleeping? It’s noon,” asked Miguel.

“They raided on Destiny last night,” she pointed to the second TV and game system she had set up, “Lance joined their clan and met some of Keith’s old friends online.” Shiro smiled proudly at Pidge’s comment, knowing exactly how important of a step that was for Keith.

“Well, then wake them up! I need to tell them something,” said Natalie.

“Pidge you asked for a camera?” asked Hunk as he walked into the apartment. Matt quickly took the camera from Hunk’s hand and started taking pictures.

The blackmailing siblings were at it again.

“I may photoshop some to these,” commented Matt.

“Please do…”

Shiro took the camera away, “Can we get this over with.”

Pidge smiled and leaped onto the bed, “Good afternoon sleepy heads!” She kept jumping on the bed until finally both of them were jolted awake.

“What the hell Pidge? Why… are… you…” Lance screamed, taking the blankets and pulling them over his bare chest.

“Kate!” screamed Keith as he shoved her away from jumping, “Key!”

She giggled and handed Keith the spare key to his apartment. “Worth it.” Matt had taken plenty of pictures on his phone from their reactions.

“Natalie, Miguel, what are you doing here?” asked Lance.

“Please tell me you’re wearing pants,” laughed Miguel.

“Yes! Now answer!”

“I came to tell you about the wedding,” said Natalie sitting on the edge of the bed.

“You’ve been engaged for two weeks… what could you have possibly done in that time?”

She handed him two airplane tickets, “It’s planned and we are having it in Colombia come spring.”

Lance released himself from the sheets and ran to the tickets in her hands. “Colombia as in the country in South America?! Holy crap! How did you manage something like this. _Mami y Papi_ make good money, but nothing like this.”

“Markus is loaded. I thought you knew.”

“What! I had no idea!”

“You really are oblivious when you want to be,” chuckled Miguel.

“Markus’s family is the owners of all the orange groves in Arcadia and the connecting towns. _Papi_ works for his dad. How did you seriously not know this? He talks about it all the time.”

“Once he starts talking shop with _Papi_ , I would shut myself off from the conversation… this is so cool!”

“The trip is fully paid for, hotel and all. We got everyone in the family a week in the resort as a vacation before the big day.”

“Cool. Second tickets for Hunk, right?”

“No.” Natalie poked his nose, “Hunk already got his ticket. I am giving you a plus one.”

Lance smiled widely as he turned to Keith. Keith’s mouth hung open as he realized who she had meant, “Me?”

“Of course you! I can’t have a wedding and not allow my brother to take his boyfriend.” She giggled from his silliness.

Keith grinned, pleased to see that Natalie was so open to having him come. “Thanks…”

“You’re gonna have to skip a week of class…”

“Like I care!” replied Lance.

“And Hunk said he won’t be able to go until the middle of the week due to ‘Voltron stuff’.” They all agreed with complete understanding, “but Markus and I wanted to get this done with as quickly as we could so we can move on with leaving for New York after I graduate.”

“God, Natalie. This is all a little too fast…” Lance felt some sorrow already knowing that her dream of moving to New York was closer than he thought.

“Broadway star, right?”

“Right!” he gave her a high five, “Man, I’m so excited!”

“I am too, but, if I may ask, can everyone please leave!” Keith shouted, “I really can’t get up with you all just staring at me in my bed!”

Pidge laughed, “What, you got morning wood?”

“Get out!” They all scampered away, including Lance, “not you Lance. Them.”

He laughed, “Oh, right.”

“Let’s all go grab some lunch,” suggested Shiro. They all agreed, “I’ll give you both an hour to get ready. Meet at my place.”

Lance shut the door behind everyone and returned to the bed. “So, will you come?”

“Um… yeah, I mean I’ll have to get a passport, but I should be good. I’ve never been out of the country before.”

“No?” Lance cuddled closer to Keith, “then, I guess I’ll have to pop that cherry for you.”

Keith immediately blushed. “Do you have to say it like that?”

Lance giggled, “Yes, cause I like seeing you get all flustered. It’s gonna be fun. I’ll have to figure out our sleeping arrangements as I’m sure they are going to force us to bunk with some of my cousins or siblings, but we’ll have a good time.”

“Wait? I’m meeting your family… your whole forty plus members?”

Lance giggled again, “Yes. But don’t worry. My direct family already loves you. The rest are easy.”

Keith’s nerves wouldn’t shake away, “How much longer until the wedding?”

Lance reached over and grabbed the tickets, “It’s in March, so we have two more months.”

“Perfect… by then, I should have told you everything.” Keith smiled to himself.

Lance shook his head and kissed Keith, straddling him in the process, “You’re the one setting the time frame... oh!” Lance leaped off Keith’s lap slightly, “I guess Pidge had hit the nail on the coffin.”

Keith blushed and placed his forehead on Lance’s chest, embarrassed, “Just make coffee, please?”

“Not until I get my morning kisses.” Lance lifted Keith’s face to plant his lips on him.

They were late to lunch, wasting their hour to get ready kissing and in each other’s arms.

<\\\>

_32) Keith has never left the country and his first time will be with me (note to self: never admit how nervous you are about this trip… everything must be perfect!)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I mentioned how much I love Keith's backstory... like, I really like The Fosters. They are a good group of kids. Plus, Keith is seemingly becoming more adorable (at least I think so <3)
> 
> Thanks again for all the comments and kudos! You guys are so amazing for all the wonderful feedback and trust me, this story isn't close to reaching an ending. I have plans to showcase their relationship. Prepare for fluff guys (and the teasing... oh so much teasing... I broke Fox [my normal co-author and the other half of Luna_Fox] when I showed her a recent tease I wrote... she almost murdered me. lol.) Look forward to it :D
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> \- Luna


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My betas wanted me to warn people... get tissues, you may need them. 
> 
> You will also need this for the end of the chapter (it makes the needing for tissues worse). 
> 
> https://youtu.be/LJttZ_Zfiw0 (For those that the link doesn't work, its "Yuri On Ice" the song from the same named anime).
> 
> See you at the bottom.

“Happy?”

“Very much.”

Shiro and Keith met at their usually Starbucks, drinking their usual drinks. As it had become customary, Keith cringed a little at the the taste of the coffee, missing  _ The Lance Special.  _

<\\\>

_ Keith: I miss your coffee. _

_ Lance: You at Starbucks? _

_ Keith: Yep.  _

_ Lance: lol. Text me when you're done and I'll make you some good stuff. _

_ Keith: :D _

_ <\\\> _

“Really happy?” chuckled Shiro not needing an answer.

“What is that suppose to mean?” Keith begrudgingly drank his cup.

“I know when your texting Lance cause you get this stupid grin on your face.” Keith was about to retort, when Shiro continued, “I know the face. I get it whenever I text Allura. It's fine.”

Keith huffed against the lid of his cup, “I didn't expect it to be this way.”

“What way?”

“Easy… but difficult… confusing…”

“That last word is the most accurate. If it's confusing, but in a good way, then it's going about as it should. You've had boyfriends before.”

“But none made me feel like this… like I want to actually let someone in.”

“And how did it go?”

“Perfect… he just listened and got emotional but in the right way, like he was happy.”

“That just means he really likes you too. Which he should.”

Keith chuckled, “I only have really one more part to tell him.”

“Your bios?”

“Yeah about bio parents… I'm determined to tell him before Natalie’s wedding. I want to go without any reservations.”

“That's sounds reasonable.”

“Yeah…”

Shiro watched Keith for a moment, “How did it make you feel to think back to that day, to those moments?”

“Heartbreaking. I still can't believe how much I've changed.” Keith smiled, proud of the person he had become, then a thought crossed him, “Why did mom and dad adopt me? They were just a few month away from me turning eighteen and being able to kick me out.”

Shiro raised an eyebrow, “You don't remember?”

Keith shook his head. 

“The banquet that helped raise money for the high school robotics department. That's how Matt was able to get enough money to work on my new arm… you played that night and earned the most donations.”

“Oh yeah…” Keith tilted his head upward, “I forgot I did that. I played music from Final Fantasy on the piano.”

“Regardless of what you played, my parents asked about you and I told them everything, including that you were one of the foster kids. Then, they started speaking with school guidance and social workers, trying to figure you out more. At first they just wanted to be your mentors, but then they heard about your sinking grades and low academic attitude and couldn't figure out how you, the kid who played the piano so beautifully, could have been the same one they heard about. They tried signing up to adopt you, but then you got caught with the Walmart stealing… Keith, they weren't your foster parents, they were your legal guardians pending adoption.”

Keith nearly dropped his cup, “Wait, are you saying they were trying to adopt me from the get go?”

“Yeah. They talked it over with me and I totally agreed. I always thought you were better than what you were becoming. We all did and felt you just needed family to help you before you made too many mistakes. I always wanted to be your big brother.”

Keith held back tears. Having never known the truth only made his reality more shocking. He never thought that he had made such an impact on the Shirogane family, but it seemed he had struck a chord with them.

“I never knew…”

Shiro laughed, “Well now you do.”

Keith wiped a set of tears away from his eyes, “I guess I'm back to tell him two more things.”

Shiro laughed, “Guess so.”

<\\\>

_ Lance: I don't get this!  _

_ Keith: The essay? _

_ Lance: YES!!!!  _

_ Lance: Can I get your notes? _

_ Keith: Payment? _

_ Lance: coffee and kissing? _

_ Keith: Approved. _

_ <\\\> _

Lance played with Keith’s hair as he rested his head on his lap. “So, this whole time you thought you were just moved into a new foster home?”

“Yeah… I didn't know that they were actually trying to adopt me when I moved in. Apparently, it was the day of the banquet.”

“Banquet?”

“When I was a freshmen, my music teacher asked me to play piano for a fundraiser for our robotics program. She let me pick the music, so I went with a few of my favorite songs from Final Fantasy. I practiced and eventually the night came and I played. I made them a lot of money and, based on what Shiro said, inspired my parents to look into me.”

“How good is your playing that you tricked a family into adopting you?” he chuckled.

Keith flicked his nose, “Pretty damn good.”

“Well, I've never heard it, so how would I know.”

“Do you want to?” Keith’s voice started to tremble, “I haven't really touched my keyboard in a long time, but… well…”

“Well what?”

“I kind of have this talent where I only need about ten minutes of reviewing the sheet music and I can play a song on the piano. Unless it's overly complicated, then I'll need practice.”

“Are - are you serious?” 

“Yeah… I learned how to play in elementary school and I just enjoyed it and kept playing… it helped me forget…” Keith’s face saddened as a frozen and fazed appearance shown in his eyes.

Lance laced and tangled his fingers in Keith’s hair, “You alright… I didn't mean to bring something bad up…”

“No… no… that's fine. I’ll have to say it eventually.”

Keith sat up and put his hand on Lance’s arm, “Just sit here. I'll play you something so you can see.”

Lance sat comfortably on the couch as Keith stood and approached his keyboard. He took the time to plug it in and dust it off. It had been too long since he played, not even touching it after he moved in two years ago. He wasn't even sure why he brought it, but he always said that one day he would play it again. When he touched the first key something, a thought, came to him - maybe it is possible to include some parts from his past into his present.

Music made him happy and, now, so did Lance.

He looked back to him, grinning at the thought, “If you like it, I want you to tell me… be honest, no holding back on criticism.”

“Promise. Scouts honor.”

“Pass me my tablet.”

Lance did as he was told and then grabbed a pillow to snuggle as he watched and listened. He waited for Keith to fiddle around with his tablet and reading over the sheet music. He was quite, focused on reading every note. Lance noticed Keith’s fingers pressing against his leg as he read, playing the keys in a small rehearsal. 

Lance curiosity got the best of him, moving closer to the edge of the couch in anticipation. When Keith was ready, he placed the tablet on the stand and checked the keys on the keyboard.

After hitting a few buttons on the touch pad, he smiled to Lance, “Only honesty.”

“I swear!”

After a few seconds of silence, Keith began to play. His eyes never moving away from the keys and sheet music as he played “To Zanarkand” from Final Fantasy X. He took care of every key, pressing it enough to make the sound as if Lance had just turned on the game.

Lance’s mind immediately transformed outside of the room. The focus, yet loving and care for every note in Keith’s eyes spoke of a person Lance felt he didn't deserve to see. 

Keith appeared innocent, in a place where he could be the person he was meant to be beyond the dark corners of his own struggles. His fingers moved gracefully from key to key, the melody almost sounding as if they poured from his heart instead of the keyboard.

Then, he surprised Lance. He flawless switched to the song to “Eyes on Me” from Final Fantasy VIII. Keith forgot where he was, lost to the song and began to hum along with his playing. He knew the words - he knew them like he knew his own memories and dreams - but he didn't sing, not confident enough to do anything beyond play.

Still, when he decided to look back to Lance, he couldn't help but release a chuckle. He had captured his full attention. The trance in Lance’s eyes were enough to encourage Keith to keep playing.

There, he knew, his two worlds were colliding and it felt more reliving than any amount of confessing could do.

He needed the outlet. His music. His man.

As he closed the song, he left his fingers hovering over the keys as he inhaled and exhaled deeply. This was familiar to him - natural - just as Lance made him feel.

He turned to ask Lance what he thought, but the words never were spoken. Lance cradled his pillow firm against his chest, holding back tears as he bit the edge of the cushion.

“I - I have no words…”

Keith chuckled as he moved his bangs away from his face, “That's a first.”

“Shut up! That was beautiful! Why don't you play anymore?”

“Because I decided it was a part of the past, before seventeen… the part of me I had to leave behind.”

“That's ridiculous. The look on your face gave away how much you love to play… that's not part of your dark past, that's the light that kept you going and still should… Keith, you really never thought this through.”

“No… I didn't,” he turned off the keyboard and returned to sitting with Lance, leaning his forehead against his back, “I didn't really know how to think… it's funny, when I told Pidge, she told me to start playing my guitar again and I recently did. The relief of playing music soothed my nerves…”

“Let me guess, before New Years?”

“Yep.”

“Then, keep doing it. Keep playing guitar and piano. You love it, so why stop?”

Keith thought for a second and then shook his head, “I’m a fool.”

“My fool, but yes.” Lance moved to face Keith, “so, you feel better?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then, I hate to change the subject, but that essay is due at midnight online and it's ten. We can talk more later…”

“Let’s just get your work done.”

Keith kissed Lance and then hovered over his lips, “Thanks for listening.”

“I could listen forever…”

_ I could listen to you play or talk forever… _

<\\\>

“Nationals is happening in Chicago,” said Hunk as he had breakfast with Lance, “my dad is getting the weekend off to come with, but it's right after Colombia.”

“You’re still coming to the wedding though?”

“Duh! Natalie is my sister too, basically, I just won't be able to come until the day before. Pidge has us on a strict schedule because she wants to make some massive improvements to Voltron.”

“As long as you're coming.”

“It's not like you’ll miss me. You’ll have Keith,” laughed Hunk.

“Don't tease! You're just jealous I have someone,” Lance stuck out his tongue, “but in all seriousness, it wouldn't be Natalie’s wedding without you.”

“If I missed it, I wouldn't blame you guys for disowning me. I'd disown myself.” They both laughed until Lance’s phone buzzed.

_ <\\\> _

_ Keith: Allura and Shiro wanna go to the mall and grab some lunch. They are inviting us to come. _

_ Lance: Now? I'm having breakfast with Hunk. _

_ Keith: They said like at 1. It's cool if you're busy.  _

_ Lance: 1 works. Hunk has Voltron stuff with Pidge at 12. _

_ Keith: Cool. They said to meet them there since Allura is dragging Shiro around for other errands. I'll drive us. _

_ Lance: On your bike? _

_ Keith: Yeah. _

_ Lance: … _

_ Lance: … _

_ Keith: What?  _

_ Lance: Nothing… just never been on a motorbike before. _

_ Keith: You’ll be fine. _

_ Lance: I believe you, but that doesn't change the fact it's still new to me. _

_ Keith: lol. _

_ Keith: Just trust me. _

_ Lance: I already do. _

_ <\\\> _

“You look nervous about something,” asked Hunk as he started to clear the dishes for Lance to clean, “everything okay?”

“Yeah… I'm just getting a ride on Keith’s bike today.”

“Ah, yes! The bike. I assume you haven't told Keith your weird little secret.”

“Nope.”

“I guess you’ll have to tell him today.”

“It's really shouldn't be a big deal. I've actually wanted to ride it for sometime. Plus, it's not like I have to do anything. I just hold on.”

_ Hold on for dear life around his waist. _

“That's pretty much it. Just say no if he offers for you to drive.”

“I doubt he’ll even offer.” Lance stood up and began to wash the dishes.

“I've been meaning to ask. How has the first month gone?”

“Huh?”

“You and Keith. It's been a month.”

“It… it has? Damn, time flies! I mean, good… really good. He makes me happy.” Lance didn't bother hiding the automatic smile that crept along his face when he mentioned his relationship with Keith, “it's comfortable.”

Hunk smiled as he grabbed a bag with parts and laid them out on the counter. “I've notice your happier mood. I'm glad to hear.”

“I never expected this… but I'm happy it happened.” Lance watched Hunk playing with the small pieces. Screwing the different parts together and testing the wires, “How about you? This whole Voltron thing is really something else.”

“It gives me life, man! I've never had to put my brain into so much of a test. It's amazing. Matt has really taught me so much and Coran is a genius in his field. Pidge… damn, she's so good at coming up with ideas and making them come to life. The robots and tech they keep coming up with. It's amazing.”

“But you're smart too. I've seen how you bounce ideas off with them.”

Hunk grinned, “Thanks. I really feel like I found my thing… something that speaks for me.”

Lance finished the dishes and then wiped his hands before patting Hunk on the back, “When you're done. Let's have a few rounds of Mario Kart.”

“Oh, it's on!”

#

“I'm sorry,” Keith doubled over in laughed, dropping his helmet on the floor as Lance strapped on his, “You don't know how to ride a bike!”

Lance groaned, “I quit when I was a kid and I never tried it again.”

“A basic, fundamental part of being a kid and you don't know how to do it.” 

“Stop laughing! There are plenty of people who don't know how!”

Keith wiped away a joyful tear before placing his hand on Lance’s shoulder and grazing it down until he tangled his fingers into Lance’s, “I'm sorry. I'll stop. But it's so cute.”

“Cute?!”

“I'm picturing you trying to ride a bike and all I can think about it how adorable your face must be all flustered and frustrated. That grumpy face you give.” Keith tugged Lance by the arm and into a quick kiss, “I didn't mean to laugh, but you can't blame me.”

Lance snuffed and then gave Keith another kiss, “Maybe one day you could teach me?”

“Sure. Why not.” Keith released Lance and put on his helmet, boarding his bike, “but for now, you just hold on. This isn't like a normal bike. All you’ll have to do is sit behind me…”

Lance sat and waited for more instructions. Keith's reached behind him and grabbed Lance’s hands, pulling them around his waist, “And hold on.”

He revved the bike and kicked up the stand. In a matter of seconds, they jetting into the streets and Lance leaned forward against his back.

He loved every second of it. Holding Keith closely, while leaving his safety in his hands. There was something about allowing Keith to have control that made the ride more thrilling - more caring - yet Lance still had some moments of fear. Whenever Keith swerved through cars or made a sharp turn, his grip on Keith would tighten.

What Lance hadn't realized is that Keith made more risky moves as a way to force Lance to hold him closer.

Arriving at the mall, Keith pulled into a parking space and turned to Lance, “Good?”

“I look forward to riding home… but maybe next time be a little more gentle.”

“Only did that to feel you panic a little.”

Lance slapped him lightly across the arm before getting off the bike. Keith chuckled and placed everything away before grabbing Lance’s hand and walking into the mall.

Meeting Allura and Shiro in front of the Red Robin, they decided to shop before eating.

“What are you looking for?” asked Keith.

“Clothing. I got some extra money and decided to buy some dresses,” replied Allura.

“You guys are here to keep me company,” laughed Shiro.

The boys shook their heads.

They walked the mall and into several different stores. Allura did as she promised, trying on dozens of dresses and clothes alike. Keith couldn't help but chuckle at the easily amused face of Shiro. His eyes were always focused on her in whatever task she was doing - lovingly - willing to be her everything. 

At a moment where she entered another dressing room, Keith took the chance to speak, “What are you waiting for? Mom is right, you should have popped the question a long time ago.”

Shiro shook his head as he placed down a hideous shirt, “Allura and I talked about it and we both agree that we would wait until we both have our Master’s degree.” Shiro looked behind him at the dressing rooms and leaned in to whisper at Lance and Keith, “What she doesn't know is, that day of graduation, I'm popping the question right when we are handed our diplomas on stage. I've already worked it out with the Dean.” 

“Holy hell! For real?” said Lance. 

Shiro shook his head, “Yeah right… you guys think it's only you all who wants me to marry her. I've only waited out of respect from our decisions and conversations. I love her and if we agree to things as a couple, I always stick to my end of it.”

Keith couldn't drop his smile. Squeezing Lance’s hand from excitement, he looked over to the dressing rooms, “I’m excited for you guys.”

Shiro placed his hand on Keith’s head and rustled his hair, “Hey. I'm the one proud of you.” Shiro walked off at the call of Allura.

“It's cool seeing you like this,” said Lance.

“Like what?”

“With family. After you told me your story, I've appreciated family a bit more and I'm grateful you were given this chance.”

“Hey…” Keith squeezed Lance’s hand again, “I'm grateful for all the chances I've recently have been given.”

Lance grinned and kissed Keith before rejoining the two at the register.

“Is there anything you all need. I'm good and done,” asked Allura.

“Actually,” said Keith, “what is it I'll be needing for Colombia?”

“A suit for the wedding…”

“I have one at home, I'll go get it. Anything it else.”

“Some causal wear for traveling and doing touristy things. Some nicer outfits for the rehearsal dinner and such. And a swim suit. Natalie said the resort is a beach resort.”

“I've got everything but a swim suit. My last one has a hole in it.”

“Then, let's go get you a new one,” suggested Allura. 

She looped her hand around Keith’s arm and dragged him to a nearby store. Once in the swim area, she picked out a few for him to try on. Lance leaned over to Shiro, “Demanding, isn't she?”

“You have no idea,” laughed Shiro.

She shoved Keith into a fitting room, although he insisted he didn't need to try them on. In a matter of seconds, Keith walked out in a pair of bright red swim trunks with swirls of white throughout. He blushed slightly at Lance’s enthusiastic reaction. 

“You - you like?”

“Love! I think you should purchase.”

“No! Try on more, but save it as a positive,” said Allura. The boys all rolled their eyes, but were hiding the fact they were all having fun.

Six pairs later, Keith took the first one and another black one with purple stripes. They agreed to get food at the Red Robin before heading back home.

After waiting for sometime, they all ordered their food and a few drinks. 

“This has been fun! We should double date more often,” suggested Allura.

“I don't think this was a date,” said Keith.

“Of course it was! How could you not consider this a date?”

Keith shrugged his shoulders, “Just felt like normal doings.”

Lance chuckled and moved closer to him on the booth, “That means it was a date. I mean, maybe not like a fancy date, but a causal one.” 

“I get what you both mean… it’s just,” Keith groaned, “the best way to put it is, this felt like it was normal. Nothing out of the ordinary… As if it’s something we always do, naturally.” 

Allura was about to protest, but Shiro stopped her, “Yeah. Cause it should be normal. Right Lance?” 

“Totally, I can see us doing this all the time, maybe even with Pidge, Matt, and Hunk. Just us, casual and normal, as a couple with our friends.” 

“See, that’s what I mean,” Keith smiled as he drank his soda and leaned against Lance’s shoulder without thought. 

Allura’s phone rang. 

<\\\>

_ Shiro: Sorry for cutting you off, but you don’t seem to understand how big of a deal it was for Keith to say this feels “natural.” He’s really growing out of his shell with Lance and for him to be so comfortable and casual with his new relationship is a really big step. He’s had bfs in the past, but never once did he freely ask them to do things like this with him.  _

_ Allura: I had no idea! _

_ Allura: I know I haven’t heard the whole story, but is Keith really that damaged? _

_ Shiro: Internally, yes. He really didn’t do well in foster care and he drastically changed himself after he got adopted. My parents were worried he was going to give up all aspects of his life, even those that weren’t bad like having friends, socializing, dating, and his love of music.  _

_ Allura: Wow!  _

_ Allura: Why haven’t you fully explained this to me before? _

_ Shiro: Cause it’s not my place to tell. Trust me, once he fully opens to Lance, you’ll hear the whole story, but this is something he has to do on his own terms. _

_ Shiro: Look at him. I’ve never seen him so happy in years. _

_ Allura: You are such a good brother. _

_ Shiro: I try… _

_ <\\\> _

They kept to casual conversation. Lance praising his family and hyping himself up for Natalie’s wedding. 

“I wish we could go, but we can’t afford that kind of trip,” said Allura. 

“Did Natalie not offer to pay?” asked Lance.

“She did, but we can’t afford to miss that many classes. We are limited the amount of days we can miss without failing.” 

“Makes sense,” replied Keith. 

“Are you excited?” asked Shiro.

“I am. I’ve never been out of the country before, although I will admit meeting your whole family is kind of nerve wracking.” 

“You’ll be fine. Just stay by me and I’ll take care of you.” Lance kissed him on the cheek. Allura cooed. 

“Alright, I got the bill. You guys go ahead and enjoy the remainder of your night. I’ll take your purchase to my place,” said Shiro as they started to stand. 

“Thanks…” smiled Keith, “We’ll see you later.” Keith wasted no time in taking Lance back to his bike.

“Why you moving so fast?” asked Lance. 

Keith responded with showing him a text on his phone. 

_ <\\\> _

_ Shiro: Just got an email that your favorite piano bar in Ybor is having a two for one special. You and Lance should go and have a real date. I’m forwarding you $50 for having to deal with Allura’s shopping spree.  _

_ Keith: Thanks!  _

_ <\\\> _

“Oh! Yeah, let’s go!” Keith handed Lance his helmet and a quick kiss. 

Getting on the bike, Lance leaned himself into position and held Keith tightly. They rolled out of the parking lot to enjoy a night of casual drinking, music, and each other.

#

Keith groaned and cursed when he looked at the calendar in his phone. “Almost three months…” he whispered to himself in order to not wake a sleeping Lance, “It’s already March…” He flipped through the dates and realized something was really wrong, “Crap. We leave for Colombia in one day… I have to tell him, tonight…” 

Keith and Lance had gone by the last few months in bliss. Their arguments minimal - mostly about homework, coffee, and raids - and their growing affection for each other predominant. Neither of them could complain about what they had with each other. 

In other words - perfect.

Keith couldn’t stand it. The perfection of it all made every second he kept hiding away his last secret more painful. He had told Lance everything about his past - The foster care, the friends, the adoption, his new family, but it was his old family that seemed difficult to discuss. 

He knew that it wouldn’t change a thing within their relationship, but it would hurt him - Lance would likely cry and embrace him - but all that would do is sooth some of the pain.

The pain was unavoidable and Keith wasn’t ready to face it. 

To distract his mind, he went back to what he had started doing while Lance kept sleeping in on the weekends. Keith pulled out his tablet and opened the set of sheet music. Pidge had recommended it, having enjoyed the song from one of her new favorite shows. He had sat with her and watched it, enjoying every second of the love story and the struggle of the characters to achieve their best. 

It always hit him somewhere deep that he didn’t know.

He had looked over the sheet music for the past month and when Lance wasn’t around, he would practice. It was a bit harder than he was used to, but he wanted to do it. It was a personal goal for him. Tapping his fingers on his thighs as he read the music, he lost himself, hearing the keys playing in his head and knowing where his hands should go on the piano. Before long, he looked to the time and notice it was already nine AM. 

“Time to wake up…” he whispered to Lance as he tried to wake him up.

_ “Por favor... cinco más minutos…” _

Keith giggled and rolled off the bed. He held onto his tablet as he moved to the kitchen, but in the corner of his eye, he saw his keyboard. Pausing, he thought maybe - just maybe - not having his morning  _ Lance Special _ would allow him to make irrational decisions. 

_ Decision one: Wake up, Lance. _

_ Decision two: With music. _

Keith set himself up on the keyboard. He made sure the volume wasn’t high until he was ready to play. “Just play it… and then say it… Keith… do it.” He exhaled deeply and placed his hands on the keys. 

His fingers moved gracefully against the keys, playing the song he had been rehearsing - “Yuri on Ice.” 

He hadn’t played a song such as this in a long time and he wanted to ever since he heard it. It became his own personal goal - his gold medal achievement. 

No - it would only be gold if he followed through with all his decisions.

_ Decision three: don’t stop playing. _

He kept going and just as the pace slowed down and the tune turned softer, Lance began to wake up. “Keith, what is…” He didn’t continue as he opened his eyes to see Keith lost to the sounds of music he was producing. It captured Lance’s immediate attention. The music had no words, but it felt as if he had been singing to him of all his struggles - releasing all of his pain. Lance didn’t realize himself moving off the bed and to the edge of the couch closer to Keith. Lance felt as if he was part of the music and that it wasn’t only Keith, but a symphony. 

_ Decision four: Tell him.... _

Keith picked up the pace, reaching the end of the song. His heart raced. He could feel Lance’s eyes showing him every emotion one could feel. Keith couldn’t stop them - the tears started to well.

_ Decision four: Tell him… _

Lance wanted to reach out to Keith, but he stopped as he noticed the first tear roll down his cheek. Something was going on in Keith’s head, but whatever it was, it begged Lance to stay put.

_ Decision four: Tell him… _

_ Tell him… _

_ Tell him! _

Keith’s fingers moved across the keyboard, only stopping to hold down the final note. As he released, they sat in the silence for the moment. Lance’s eyes directly to Keith. Keith’s eyes directly down to the keys. 

He huffed out a cry as his heart overwhelmed itself with pain, but there was no escaping it now. “My parents… my real parents… they died in a car accident…” 

Lance reached out for Keith, but he was stopped by Keith’s hand, “No, not yet… I was four… and sitting in the back seat.” 

“Keith…” 

“I remember it. Everyday I can see it. My mom, she reached to the back seat to give me some chips. It was late and we were driving home from a vacation at the beach. She was trying to entertain me as my dad drove. She spoke to me in Korean… I can’t remember what it meant… but I know it was sweet and it was kind… it all got ruined when I saw the light.” He sobbed into his hands. The memories pouring back in. 

“A drunk driver was driving the wrong way and had just swerved past another car. There was no way for my dad to avoid it or, at least, that’s what the reports said. What I remember was the light and then…” He cried it out, “blood…” 

Lance didn’t care anymore. He ran to his feet and took Keith into his arms. Keith embraced Lance, finding his bare chest comforting. He dug his face into the crook of Lance’s neck, “I remember it perfectly… I can still see it…” 

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” Lance started to cry, leaning his head down to Keith’s shoulder, “I can’t imagine how you must feel…” 

“I miss them everyday. It’s my only memory of them, but I could remember the love they had for me… I just wish I had better memories.” 

“I know… I wish you did too.” 

“Lance… I…”

“Don’t speak another word. Just stay here, in my arms… I will always be here for you.” Keith held him closer and kept crying, allowing his demons to escape from his tears. 

“Don’t let me go…” 

“I promise… I never will…” 

_ Thank you… _

<\\\>

_ Facts about my  _ **_boyfriend_ ** _ Keith Kogane: _

_ 52) Never let him go - ever… _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it. Keith's past... Although, *hint hint* there is one more part of his past he is missing, he kind of forgot about it on accident, but you'll learn about it in a few more chapters. 
> 
> I'm excited for Colombia and I hope you guys are too. 
> 
> Much love to my baby boi Keith *hugs*  
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting early cause I have a crazy busy weekend. :)
> 
> Guys, COLOMBIA! Prepare, this is where the WHOLE idea for the fic actually got started in my head. When we get to the part that specifically was my headcanon, I'll mention it. 
> 
> Have fun! <3
> 
> -Luna

“Please, I beg of you… stop… talking!” Keith sat on the barstool in Shiro’s apartment. They were alone, but Keith desperately wished he hadn't agreed to speak with him before packing for Colombia.

The conversation had started well. Keith told Shiro how he finally confessed everything to Lance - there were no more secrets of his past and he felt free, freer than the day he was adopted. It felt like the final step he needed.

He hadn't known he needed it, but he was happy to have found it - he’s happy what he found was Lance.

Then, this happened. Shiro started blabbering about being safe in a foreign country and making sure to mind his manners around Lance’s family. 

A child. Keith felt he was being lectured like a child.

Then, the conversation turned to a place Keith hadn't expected and, suddenly, he just wanted to leave.

“Take it!” demanded Shiro as he tried to give a small black bag with a zipped closure.

Keith shoved the bag back, “Oh my god! No way am I taking that from you! Look, I get that this is something we should be able to talk about freely as siblings, but you’re making me feel more like I’m talking with mom and dad.” Keith shivered at the thought. 

“You will need it. There is no way your scenario isn't going to lead to sex.”

“Stop! Talking!”

Shiro placed the black bag on Keith’s lap and stepped away. “Take the condoms. I even provided you some lube that won't break them.”

“Oh god, what do you not understand about not talking! Shiro, I can't have this talk with you!”

“Why not? I'm your brother?”

“Who is lecturing me like a parent! I've had sex before. I know what is safe and what isn't!”

“I know that! This is different…”

“How?” Keith interrupted.

“This is Lance. Can you honestly tell me this is the same as with your previous guys?”

“I - I…” he couldn't, “that doesn't mean I need the sex talk.” Keith stood up and held the bag in his hand. 

Shiro sniffed out a chuckled, “Yeah. Maybe I went at it all wrong… wait, have the two of you…”

“No.” Keith sighed, “we agreed we wouldn't until I told him everything.”

“And you just did this morning.”

“I - crap…” Keith looked down at the bag, suddenly realizing he might actually need it, “it won't happen in Colombia anyway. Lance said they commonly bunk a bunch of their cousins in one room. He’s praying we get a bed instead of the floor.”

“Oh, well, keep it for whenever the time comes.” 

“Yeah… I will… god, don't do that again! That was awkward for me…” Keith blushed.

“Sorry. I'll make it less lectury next time.”

“Much appreciated.” Keith started to walk out of the apartment but stopped at the door, “Thanks though… good to know I can come to you for anything.”

“Of course. I'm your big bro.” Shiro smiled.

Keith rolled his eyes while grinning. “Airport tomorrow.” He left the apartment and found Lance knocking at his door, holding a large rolling suitcase. 

“There you are,” said Lance, “I was starting to think you left me.” 

“Really?” Keith went to the door and started to unlock it. 

“No… but I was getting worried since you’re the one that told me to come over tonight and help you pack. 

“I see you’re all packed.” Keith walked in and allowed Lance to shut it. After some seconds, Keith returned to Lance, “Here. So, you can just walk in next time.” 

Keith gave Lance the spare key to his apartment; the one Pidge lost for her indiscretions. Placing it in Lance’s palm, he turned away immediately to his closet and pulled out his luggage. 

Lance looked down to his hand, taking in the details of such a simple tool. How did Keith not know how big of a deal this was? Lance kept darting his eyes back and forth between Keith and the key, curious as to how to handle such a situation.

“That’s it. That’s how you handle this big moment in our relationship?” 

“What are you talking about?” Keith placed the luggage on the couch and immediately tucked the small black bag Shiro gave him into the internal pocket. He couldn’t risk letting Lance see it, but something in him told him to pack it, just in case. 

Who knows, it could happen - it would be the right setting. 

“You just gave me a key to your apartment.”

“And? You’re here all the time. Might as well let yourself in.” 

Lance raised his hands in astonishment, shaking them wildly at Keith’s words, “How do you not realize how important this is?” 

Keith stopped packing, holding some underwear and his new swim trunks in his hands, “All I did was give you a key to my apartment.” 

Lance held up the key and shook it towards Keith’s face, trying to physically signal why it was so important. His finger kept moving between the key and his face. 

“I gave  _ you _ a key to my apartment…” It finally clicked, “Oh, god! I know what you mean now.” He panicked internally wondering why Lance had wanted to make it such a big deal, “but you’re here all the time. Does that really matter?” 

“Keith! Keith! How do you not get how big this is? You basically just gave me permission to walk in here whenever I want. You could be in the middle of having one of you conspiracy moments, like dressing in a mothman suit doing a mating dance…” 

“Wait… I don’t do that. Do you think I do that?” 

“ _ And _ I can just walk in and see you doing it.”

“I don’t do that.” 

“The  _ point  _ is that you giving me a key means you have left no privacy between the two of us. No secrets.” 

Keith grabbed Lance’s hands and chuckled, “But today you learned all of my secrets. So, yeah… the key isn’t a big deal to me cause you know everything.” 

Lance smiled, finally understanding, “No mothman mating dance?” 

“No! Seriously, where did you get that idea?” 

“I dreamt it. Found it cute.” Lance kissed him on the cheek before returning to his luggage and rolling it up against the wall. Placing the new key onto his keychain, he proceeded to assist Keith with packing. 

“You excited to see your sis get married?” asked Keith as he displayed a button down shirt to Lance for approval. 

Lance gave him a thumbs up, “I’m excited for a lot of things, but most def for her wedding. Markus is a great guy and he’s obviously smart if he plans to marry my crazy ass sister. They’ll go far together.” 

Keith grinned and took out a large white suit covering and tucked it into his luggage, “I’m pretty nervous about all of this. Honestly, I know you keep telling me not to be, but I’m not used to so much  _ family. _ ” 

“Just don’t leave my side and you’ll be fine.”

“I had no plans to leave your side.” 

Closing his luggage, he then placed it against the wall beside Lance’s and sat on the couch, “What time is our flight tomorrow?”

“Six AM. We better go to bed if we want to actually wake up.” 

“Alright. Let me text Shiro and then we can fall asleep.” 

Keith did just that as Lance began to get ready for bed. Snuggling into the sheets, he rolled around a bit as he waited for Keith to join him. 

“A little hyper for night time?” asked Keith as he took his place on the bed. 

“Nope. Just still excited.” 

Keith pulled Lance close before turning off the lights, “Me too… I get to spend a whole week out of the country with you. Best reason to skip class that I ever heard.” 

Lance laughed, “Yeah? Tell me more about how happy you are.” 

Keith blushed, “Don’t put me on the spot like that!” 

Lance laughed again, “Then, stop saying such nice things… I’m looking forward to this week.” Lance kissed Keith’s neck and started to nibble. 

Keith didn’t stop the warmth from overtaking his face, “Lance… I - I…” 

“What?” he whispered causing his warm breath to brush against the nape of Keith’s neck. 

“I told you everything…” 

“I know…” 

Keith sighed, “ _ Everything… _ ” 

Keith’s hand grabbed against Lance’s shoulder, gripping tightly with a yearning. Lance pulled back to look at Keith, “Okay. And…” he stopped when he noticed Keith’s blushing face. “Oh - Oh!” 

Suddenly they both were extremely nervous.

“Do you…” asked Lance. 

“For a while… you?” 

“Same.” 

They stayed in silence again. 

“We don’t have to…” said Lance.

“But what if I…”

“Me too…” 

It took a moment for them to look into each other’s eyes, but once they did, the intensity between them grew. Lance grabbed Keith’s shirt and yanked him into a kiss. 

There was no reason to hold back anymore. 

Keith didn’t hesitate to push Lance on his back, caressing his hands against Lance’s bare chest and enjoying the feel of his strong shoulders and frame. Lance ruffled his fingers into Keith’s hair and, once Keith’s lips moved down to his ear and lightly bit, Lance grabbed hold and moaned in pleasure.

Then, it all stopped.

“Who the fuck is calling me?!” yelled Lance, frustrated and angered. 

Lance struggled to stand, but eventually walked over to his phone. “Natalie, aren’t you suppose to be on a plane?” 

“I’m in Colombia! It’s wedding week!” she yelled over the phone with excitement.

“Yes, I know. I was about to go to sleep for my flight tomorrow.” 

“But it’s only nine… Oh! Sleep! Did I interrupt?” 

“Damn it Natalie! What do you want?” 

“Wanted to make sure my groomsmen had all their stuff for the wedding. You have your suit?”

“Yes.”

“Yours is blue, correct?” 

“Yes.”

‘You have your outfits for the rehearsal dinner, church rehearsal, and the cousin’s night?” 

“Yes.” 

“And you have your speech ready?”

“Ye - no…” 

“Lance! You said you would do the speech for the wedding rehearsal dinner!” 

“I was planning on writing it on the plane.” 

“With your boyfriend and Ginny sitting beside you? Be real! Work on it now.” 

“What? No way! I have plenty of time…” 

“No you don’t! Once you’re in Colombia it's gonna be all family, all the time. You know this!” 

He did know.

Lance groaned, “Fine! I’ll work on it now. I could just wing it.” 

“And I’ll wing you where it hurts.” 

“Working on it… please don’t touch me.” 

“I’ll see you tomorrow…. Wedding week!” She hung up.

“Is everything alright?” asked Keith from the bed. Lance couldn’t look away from the sight before him. It was everything he dreamed of. 

Keith’s hair perfectly tousled in every way as the collar of his shirt slanted slightly to one side. The sheets a mess, evident of them having been on it together only seconds ago. Keith’s violet eyes catching even the small bits of light from the street lamps through the window. 

It called for Lance to join him and continue, but now he felt the moment had passed. “I forgot to write the speech for the wedding rehearsal and I’ll need to get it done soon since we really won’t have time starting tomorrow.” 

“Oh - then, bring your laptop over and work on it in bed. I’ll help you.” 

“You sure… I mean, we were just…” 

Keith huffed out a smile, “I doubt this will be our last chance, but Natalie only plans to get married once.” 

Lance shook his head, “She better only plan to do it once.” He grabbed his laptop and moved onto the bed. Keith positioned himself to sit behind Lance, legs around him and chin placed on his shoulder. 

“I wanna make everyone cry and laugh,” commented Lance. 

“Just start and see where it takes you.” 

Lance leaned his head against Keith and began writing.

#

“Keef!” yelled Ginny as she ran towards Lance and Keith at the boarding station.

“You taught her to say that, didn't you?” asked Keith as he opened his arms to let Ginny leap onto him.

She hugged him closely and blew a kiss to Lance. Lance rubbed her head, “Maybe.”

Miguel and Trish weren't far behind and greeted them. “Uncle Keef, are you coming to Colombia too?”

“Uncle?” Keith blushed.

“I didn't teach her that.”

“I did,” said Miguel, taking her back, “don't like?”

“Just, surprising.” Keith rubbed the back of his neck. Lance tapped his hip on Keith’s. He replied with a smile.

“Are you ready to meet the family?” asked Trish, “I remember when I first met them all.”

“How did it go?” asked Keith.

Trish placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder and sighed, “Nothing I say will prepare you for what is to come.”

“Wow, make it anymore ominous, Trish,” replied Lance.

Trish laughed and placed her hand on Keith’s cheek, “You’ll survive it and learn to love the chaos.”

“I'm not calmed at all.” Keith laughed nervously.

They laughed. 

“They are a batch of crazy. Learn how it works and then you’ll be fine. You are dating the craziest of them, so you should be just fine,” said Trish. 

“You're making me rethink having started this relationship,” chuckled Keith.

“What! Trish shut up!” Lance flailed his arms everywhere.

Keith grabbed his wrist and pulled him close, “I guess I just like crazy.”

Lance grinned with a blush. Their flight was called and, just as he expected, Lance sat between Keith and Ginny. The flight was pleasant. Both Lance and Keith entertained Ginny until she fell asleep, which then led to them falling asleep after reading over Lance’s speech one more time.

When the flight ended, Keith nudged Lance awake with a smile. “We’re here.”

Lance assisted with getting Ginny off the plane and then handing off his niece to his brother. The appearance alone felt foreign to them both. Spanish written on all the boards and advertisements. The language surrounding them brought Lance a comfort of home, while it gave Keith a slight discomfort of feeling different. 

Lance grabbed Keith’s hand, squeezing it in reassurance, “Come on. This way.”

Lance kept assisting with Miguel and Trish. All three fluently and freely speaking Spanish. Keith simply smiled and followed their direction, but Lance would frequent turn to translate to Keith.

It became evident what Keith wanted to do next - he was gonna learn Spanish at some point in his life.

Grabbing their luggage and going through customs, they finally made it to the lobby where a driver was set up holding a sign with “ _ McClain Familia _ ” written on it. They followed and realized it wasn't an ordinary car or bus waiting for them.

“A limo? How loaded is Markus?” asked Lance.

“Pretty damn loaded,” replied Miguel climbing into the limo, “sweet, champagne!”

They all boarded as Miguel opened the champagne for everyone. 

“A toast,” said Miguel, “to Natalie getting married and to welcoming Keith to  _ la familia _ .”

Keith didn't need those final words translated. They cheered and drank before Lance kissed Keith on the cheek.

“I want a kiss!” demanded Ginny.

He giggled and gave his niece a kiss, “I spoil you right.” 

She gave him a sunshine worthy smile and then turned to Keith, “Now you kiss  _ Tío! _ ”

Keith chuckled before turning to Lance. It felt odd for him to be so open, especially around a family member of Lance’s. He knew Miguel and Trish happily and pleasantly approved of their relationship, but Keith still wasn't used to being affectionate outside of the gang on his floor at  _ The V. _

Then again - he figured this trip could be the beginning of something new in their relationship. 

Instead of kissing Lance on the cheek, he forced Lance face to look at him for a kiss - quick but sweet - on the lips.

Ginny gleefully cheered and went on her rampage of love by making the same requests to her parents.

Lance blushed to Keith, proud of the fact that he seemed to open in front of his brother and sister-in-law. It gave him hope that this trip would go smooth and, if he played his cards right, romantic and exciting. Lance reached over and pulled Keith close so they could hold each other as they looked out the window. 

It was a different world. The streets alone appeared so different from the place they called home. The public buses were brightly painted in different colors and designs, almost seeming as if each one was its own painting at a museum of art. The streets were heavy with traffic, flowing almost at a stream of controlled chaos as they zoomed through city. At their first escape from the airport they saw the beautiful beaches of Barranquilla from the distance. The water crystallized against the bright sun, calling for all of them to join in the water. 

The bustle of the people, riding their motorbikes, selling food at stands, shops opened, and even the sight of the business seemed so different than home - rooted and less manufactured by man, even though nothing about the village still appeared like nature. 

The sensation of home overtook Lance. He wasn’t Colombian, but anytime he felt surrounded by a Hispanic culture, he felt closer to home. The Spanish, even with the window closed, he could swear he heard it. The music of the radio pumping out Carlos Vives, Shakira, Luis Miguel, Celia Cruz; the list went on and on. 

Breathing in he could swear he felt as if he was meant to be there. 

The limo started to make its way towards the beach. It became a long and winding road, which cause Lance and Keith to even wonder how the limo was able to maneuver over so many hills, bumps, and sharp turns. Finally, after clearing some heavy trees, they turned to find a large beach resort, elegant and seemingly new compared to the atmosphere of what they had witnessed arriving. 

The limo parked and outside waited a gentlemen from the resort. “ _ Hola y bienvenidos a Las Playas de Bendiciones. ¿Es parte de la boda de McClain y Herrera? _ ”

“ _ Si _ ,” replied Lance, “ _ ¿A dónde vamos? _ ” 

Keith simply stood near Lance, allowing him to take charge as Trish cared for Ginny and Miguel handled the limo driver and the luggage. He tried to resist smiling, internally blushing at Lance speaking spanish - it did something to him he really didn’t completely understand, yet didn’t want to resist. 

“ _ Justo por aquí. La novia y el novio están esperando en el salón de baile con el planificador de la boda. _ ”

The gentlemen took them inside the resort just after Miguel finished tipping the bellboy. The five followed into the large and open lobby, swirls of natural greens and browns colored along the walls with an elegance of gold to hint at the sophistication of the location. Turning to the east side of the building, they arrived at the ballrooms where the gentlemen stated Natalie and Markus would be located. 

Entering, they were immediately greeted by more than just the bride and groom. Lance grabbed Keith’s hand and slightly pulled him back. He should have known this would happen, but there was no point in overthinking it now. 

He watched, trying to protect Keith by placing him behind him, as he’s aunts charged straight for them. 

“ _ Hola!” _ they screamed as they reached for Ginny, Miguel, Lance, and Trish. The amount of hugs and kisses started to shock Keith as he ducked slightly at the maddness. 

“Lance, it’s so good to see you,” said his Tia Jessica, “Is this - is this your boyfriend Melly told us about?” She point to Keith. 

Keith panicked. 

Lance panicked. 

Natalie laughed from the back of the room knowing what would happen next. 

“Um - yes…” 

The aunts screamed with joy, yanking Keith away from Lance’s grip and giving him big hugs. At times, they would hold him out, getting a closer look at him. 

Keith felt like a science experiment, sizing him up and analyzing his every inch. He watched as Lance tried to enter the surrounding forces of his aunts, but he couldn’t win. 

“Oh - he is cute!” said Alexia, “I never figured you were Lance’s type…” 

“You?” repeated Keith. 

“Oh, don’t say it like that. Lance has always been open minded to any type of person,” said Sophia. 

“Actually, I think he might be out of Lance’s league,” joked Lucia. 

“Hey!” yelled Lance from the back.

“ _ Hermanas, déjenlo, _ ” said Martha as she pushed them all away and dragged Lance to stand beside Keith, “ _ Por favor, dejen respirar a los dos chicos. No hay necesidad de asustar a otro. _ ” 

Lance was grateful for his Tia Martha. She turned to face them, “It’s a pleasure to see you in person, Keith. I am Lance’s Tia Martha.” 

“Yes,” he took a deep breath feeling as if he just came up for air, “Lance has told me all about you… all of you.” Yet, it didn’t seem like enough. 

“I’m sure he did. My godson always speaks highly of his family,” Martha leaned in and kissed Lance on the forehead, “come on. I have your room keys and will get you all settled. Natalie, stop laughing!” 

Natalie covered her mouth and went on with speaking to the wedding planner. 

“Where is  _ Mami y Papi _ ?” asked Lance as Martha started escorting them away and allowed the aunts to rejoin the bride and groom. 

“They just arrived with my parents and are unpacking. Their flight was delayed to this morning.” 

“ _ Mami _ must be thrilled,” joked Miguel. 

“You know how stressed she can be with these things.” They all laughed except for Keith, not completely getting the joke. 

Lance grabbed Keith’s hand and kissed it, “Trust me. You’ll understand it later.” 

They stopped in front of Martha’s room and waited outside as she had asked. Once she stepped out, she handed each of the adults their room keys. “Your luggage should already be in your rooms. Take this as well, it’s all the wedding events and where they will take place. You are all free to do as you please except for what it says on that list. You don’t want your mother kicking down your door if you are late to anything.” 

“Great, its my wedding again,” said Trish as she shook her head. 

“Who are we bunking with?” asked Lance. 

“No one. Miguel, Trish, and Ginny have a room and you and Keith have another. Natalie requested that all groomsmen and bridesmaids be gifted their own private rooms.” 

“My… own… room?” Lance suddenly had the urge to run back to the ballroom and give his sister a giant hug. 

“Yes. Even Ricardo and Armando have a separate room from your parents, much to their disagreement. She finally agreed when the boys requested that Hunk stay with them when he arrives.” 

“So, even Hunk is taken care of… sweet.” Lance took his room key and looked over the list. Nothing was expected of him today except for the reunion dinner at night - in six hours. 

“Go on. You’re gonna want to settle down and, trust me, hit the beach. The waves are amazing today. Lucia had to pull me out in order to keep helping Natalie.” She shooed them away and started to walk back to the ballroom. 

“This is going to be a real vacation!” commented Miguel, “I thought we would all be stuck in the same room as usual.” 

“Me too. Now, I can really relax,” Lance winked to Keith. 

It took a second, but then it all suddenly clicked in Keith’s head - and he suddenly remembered the small black bag and its content sitting in his luggage. He blushed, looking away from Lance. 

Miguel leaned over to Lance just as he reached the halls where their rooms divided, “Lance. Do me a solid and babysit Ginny one night before the wedding. I could really use a nice relaxing night with my wife.” 

“Sure. Look over the itinerary and pick a night. Keith and I will babysit.” 

“Thanks. You’re the best and I’ll let you know.” Miguel patted Keith on the back before leaving, “have fun you two.” 

Keith’s blush intensified. 

They stood in the halls watching the three disappear. Then, Lance looked at the room number and realized they were on the top floor. “Elevator to room four for us.” 

Keith simply nodded, but grabbed a tight hold on Lance’s hand. 

“You seem nervous,” said Lance as he followed the signs to the elevator, “I assume my aunts really scared you. I tried warning you.” 

“Trish was right. No warning could have prepared me.” Keith chuckled as they entered the elevator, “but they were nice.” 

“My whole family is awesome, but overwhelming.” 

They rode the elevator keeping close to each other. The mood already setting in that they were - in fact - on vacation together. Arriving at their floor, Lance realized that Natalie seemed to have the same plan for her brother. Shaking his head, he opened their room door. 

The view - a beautiful view of the beach greeted them with their own private balcony. The room itself had a king size bed, covered in pillows and sheets. It was a larger room than Lance expected, but it wasn’t extravagant. Just enough for both of them to be comfortable and to enjoy the ocean breeze. 

Lance went straight outside, leaning forward against the rail and smelling the sea water, “Home…” he whispered. 

Keith leaned against the frame of the sliding glass door, “Happy?” 

“Aren’t you? Look at this beach! This view!” 

“Yeah,” Keith’s eyes couldn’t look away from Lance, “the view is perfect.” 

Lance turned and grabbed Keith’s waist, pulling him in for a long and loving kiss. “This is turning out different than I expected.” 

“So, she really did surprise you with the room?”

“Yep. I had no idea.” 

Keith brushed his fingers along Lance’s hair, “Remind me to thank her.” He leaned in for another kiss until there was a knock on the door. Lance opened it, leaving Keith to enjoy the spectacular view. 

A few minutes later, Lance tipped the bellboy and called Keith to unpack. “Let’s hit the beach. The sun is out and I could use the salt water after all that sitting on the plane.” 

“Okay. That works for me.” 

“Awesome,” he pulled out a pair of swim shorts, “I’ll go get ready. Natalie told me earlier that we can put everything on our room cards, so let’s get lunch at the beach shore.” He kissed Keith on the cheek before darting into the bathroom to change. 

Keith laughed lightly and shook his head. For a second, he looked back to the bathroom door and then took out the small black bag. He quickly placed it within the shelf of the nightstand on his normal side of the bed,  _ “Remember to thank Shiro…”  _

Seconds later Lance appeared and pushed Keith into to get ready. Putting on sunscreen, Lance couldn’t seem to stop moving until Keith finally appeared from the bathroom. 

Both boys stood shirtless in only their swimsuits. 

Both boys took the time to appreciate the view. 

Both boys moved their gaze to the empty and large bed. 

“Beach?” yelped Lance, nervous and jittery. 

Keith chuckled, agreeing, “Beach.” 

#

They had an hour left and with the time they had spent at the beach Keith learned several things about Lance. 

For one, he really does have a lot of cousins as most of them happened to be at the beach when they arrived. Two, Lance knew them all and had a close relationship with each of them. Unlike his aunts, he was more comfortable introducing Keith and they were nicer - less grabby - than his previous set of introductions. Three, Lance, unlike Keith, enjoyed talking about his childhood. The many stories of the many adventures he used to take with his siblings and cousins. In the end, all it did was showcase just how close they all really were. 

“You’re gonna have to be careful, Keith,” said one of his cousins from his mom’s side, Roxie, “the aunts are vicious.”

“More than I’ve seen?” he asked. 

“You two are the new hot couple in the family. Lance is the only one left not married and within marriage age. The rest of us are in high school or younger,” said another cousin Leslie, “plus, my mother was already plotting with  _ Tia _ Lucia on the plane.” 

Lance rolled his eyes, “We’ve only been together three months!” 

“Like that’s ever stopped them. You brought him on this trip, they consider it like basically being engaged,” said Roxie. 

“En - engaged?!” repeated Keith. 

“Great, you’re freaking him out!” cried Lance. 

The cousins laughed, “Don’t worry about it. Realistically they know you guys are a new couple and won’t actually push you, but I promise you, if they can trick Lance into catching the bouquet, then the garter will end up in your hands.” 

“I am not doing that, again…” Lance crossed his arms as he put down his sunglasses. 

Keith sighed, already sensing that Lance’s family was overbearing and overwhelming, but another thought also became clear - all of it stemmed from love.

Keith had never experience it first hand before. He finally had his family, but it couldn't compare to this form of causality between extended family. He never experience long childhood memories, the ability to relate to personality types among each other and unitedly making fun of each of their loved ones. Best yet, he already felt included and all he had to do was listen and learn.

He would enjoy catching Lance grab his hands and intertwined their fingers with ease; no sheepishness about their affection around his family. He was comfortable and wanted to make sure Keith felt the same. 

“Sun is setting,” said Roxie, “we should start heading back and get ready for dinner.” 

“Yeah, don’t want them harping on us for being late,” added Leslie. 

Lance stood up and stretched before collecting his things and his man, “Let’s go. If we hurry, maybe we can sneak a few minutes of alone time.” 

Keith shoved him playfully before looping his arm around his and walking back to their room, “You have no shame, do you?” 

“Not when I’m around you.” 

They kissed against the setting sun of the beautiful first sunset of their vacation week together. There Keith realized something - a thought as he locked with Lance’s enchanting eyes. 

Family. 

The word meant so much to him over the years, but tonight the definition changed slightly and suddenly all it meant was Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all your love with the Kudos and comments. Its been an overwhelming rush of emotions seeing so many people enjoying my work (trying to be a professional writer so your comments inspire me to do well in my novel). 
> 
> You guys are seriously the best. 
> 
> Fun facts about Lance's family: They are all based on my own family. 
> 
> I am half Cuban/half Colombian raised in Miami, FL. I'm pretty Hispanic. Before they announced Lance was Cuban (for which I didn't stop talking about for weeks!) I thought he could be Colombian. So for this fic I made Markus Colombian so I could still take the boys to a country I adore visiting and seeing my family <3  
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Sunday!
> 
> \- Luna


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS! 
> 
> Thanks so much for all the support. You guys are all amazing! Some news - I commissioned some art for the fic and I have the link posted below and if you return to chapter 12, the image is on the bottom of the page. 
> 
> Also, as I wrote on my tumblr, updates will now be on Saturdays cause its easier with my schedule. 
> 
> Let's continue this journey in Colombia, shall we??? 
> 
> You might want this for fun: https://youtu.be/kMNPv_HXffQ (Marc Anthony - "Vivir Mi Vida" in case the link doesn't work)
> 
> -Luna

“Don't bring up politics,” said Lance as he rolled up the sleeves of his crisp button down.

Keith started to fix his collar, “I wasn't planning on it.”

“And don't mention religion either. Whole family is super Catholic.”

“That's cool.”

“Yeah, but mentioning anything outside their beliefs can be a death sentence.”

“I'm not even a hundred percent on my own beliefs.”

“Then, don't bring that up,” he laughed. Lance moved over to Keith and looked him over. He smiled as he looked to Keith in his burgundy button down and black dress pants. He fixed the slightly off collar and slowly raised his hand to his cheek.

“The family won’t mistreat us for being a boy/boy couple. Apparently,  _ Tia _ Martha helped the family figure out that misguided belief during her teens.” 

“She’s the one you said you didn’t know was a lesbian almost all your life?” 

“Yeah… she paved the way for the ones like me.” 

“I like her so far.” 

“She’s the least crazed out of all my mother’s siblings, but don’t be fooled. She’ll betray you any second if you give her good enough gossip.” 

“Cool. Any warnings for dad’s side.” 

“Yeah. When in doubt, ask about my  _ abuelos _ . My father’s parent passed right when he turned twenty-two, so they love to tell stories of old Cuba and how my  _ abuelo _ was an American soldier who met my  _ abuela _ and completely uprooted his life to be with her in Cuba. They moved to America as Castro took over.”

“How did they die?” Keith lost himself to the heritage of Lance’s family. 

“ _ Abuelo _ died from complication from asthma medication he used overtime and  _ abuela _ died a few months later from a heart attack. Although if you ask my  _ papi _ and his siblings they’ll all say from a broken heart.” Lance kept patting down Keith’s shirt and trying to remove every last piece of lint with his hands. 

Keith smiled, “I like hearing about your family. You guys really have a history.” 

“Yeah. We aren’t boring.” 

Keith laughed and grabbed Lance’s hand from off his shoulder, trying to make him stop. 

“I'm nervous… isn't it alright to be nervous?”

Keith leaned against his hand, “Are you nervous they won't like me?”

“No… I know their gonna love you… it's just, I never introduced a boyfriend or girlfriend to the extended family before, only to my direct family.”

“No pressure,” Keith said chuckling nervously.

Keith stepped closer and pulled Lance into a kiss. Lance placed his hand gracefully on Keith's waist and pulled him closer. Keith’s hand rolled up against Lance’s neck and tangled his fingers into his hair. They got lost quickly, passionate and engulfed in the feel of the other.

Their first day had been nothing short of perfect and having each other in the hotel room alone made the mood easy to fall for. 

Lance fell to the bed, sitting at the edge before Keith straddled him and rolled his hips against Lance once in position.

Lance moaned, guiding his hands down Keith’s back and stopping at the pantline.

“We shouldn't…” whispered Keith as Lance started to kiss down his neck and Lance unbuttoned the top of his shirt for more access. “Lance… your family dinner…”

Lance groaned and punished Keith with a small bite at the end of his neck, leaving a tiny mark. Lance buttoned the shirt back up and leaned back on the bed, leaving Keith on his lap. “I'm finding this whole family bit inconvenient.” 

Keith laughed, “I believe we both are.” Keith tried to control his blush, but it was impossible. He leaned forward, laying his chest against Lance’s with his lips resting against Lance’s neck. He kissed it teasingly. “I see you have something in mind…”

“Arg… I do…”

“What is it?” Keith seemed to enjoy the newfound ability to tease his boyfriend.

“Keith… I can't say it…” Lance blushed and bit his lip. Keith’s hand teasing the sides of his chest.

Keith moved up, guiding Lance’s face to look at him, “When we return? Yes?”

Lance kissed him, grabbing the back of his head as he slipped in his tongue. When he pulled back, he whispered, “I can't wait.”

It took them a few minutes to get up, but eventually they stood and walked out of the room to the hotel’s restaurant. It was crowded. Plenty of people from around the world sitting and enjoying their meals. Lance and Keith were escorted to the back where they had half the room reserved for Lance’s family. Before Lance could see his family, he grabbed Keith’s hand and squeezed it. 

“ _ Hola!”  _ they all yelled as the couple walked in. 

Natalie motioned for Lance and Keith to seat near them, but it still took several minutes of moving through the crowd of family to reach their seats. 

Lance showboated Keith around, greeting every single member of his family and introducing Keith. He never held back. The words were always proud and the same, “ _ Hola,  _ I’ve missed you. Let me introduce you to my boyfriend, Keith Kogane. We’ve only been together a few months but we were friends for a while before that.” The simple sentence seemed to satisfy the family's need for some information on their story, but luckily the atmosphere of everyone needing to get settled and Natalie yelling for Lance to hurry up gave them the chance to keep it short and simple. 

When they arrived to the end of the table, Lance and Keith had a reserved spot between Miguel and Ricardo. “Nice to see you bro,” said Ricardo, “you too Lance.”

“Seriously? You're replacing me already?” asked Lance as he shrugged to his younger brother. Keith laughed lightly into his hand.

“Not my fault you suck at Final Fantasy XIV. At least with Keith I can accomplish some hard mission.”

“You both suck.”

“Not as bad as you,” added Keith with a gentle touch to his back.

“Seriously! I did not enter this relationship for you to replace me.” Lance playful shoved Keith's shoulder only for both to bounce back and forget that his whole family was surrounding them as they kissed.

“Young love,” said Melly from behind them, “it's adorable.”

“ _ Mamí!”  _ yelled Lance as he stood up and gave his mother the biggest hug he could muster. Once done, Melly extended her arms to Keith. He stood up and embraced her, realizing that this was the first time he really got to spend time with Lance’s parents since after they started dating.

“Keith, I'm so happy you could make it. A wedding is the perfect time to meet the family and now maybe I can learn a bit more about you from you instead of the rattling of my son.”

“ _ Mamí!” _ Lance sat back down, embarrassed.

Keith chuckled, “I'm excited to be here, although…”

“It's overwhelming,” said Henry as he patted both boys on the back, “trust me. I know. I may come from a decently sized family myself, but the Rodriguez women, they are a category of their own.”

Melly backhanded her husband’s arm, “ _ Ay mijo, no dices eso! _ ”

“See what I mean,” replied Henry as he rubbed his arm. They moved to take their seats on the opposite side of the table. Once it appeared everyone had arrived, Markus stood up and seemed everyone’s attention.

“ _ Hola y bienvenidos a toda la familia de nosotros.  _ Hello and welcome to all of our family. We know not everyone has arrived…”

“Are you serious?” whispered Keith to Lance after looking around at the already fifty plus people.

Lance laughed, “Not even joking.”

Markus continued, “but we are thrilled to have you all here to celebrate my union with the woman of my dreams.  _ Natalie, el amor que tengo por ti sólo puede ser medido por la distancia del universo. _ ”

Everyone in room awed at his words and clapped as he leaned down to kiss her. Keith clapped unknowingly. He had no clue what he had said, but at least it knew it had to be sweet.”

“The love I have for you can only be measured by the distance of the universe,” whispered Lance into Keith’s ear.

Keith jolted back in his seat, shocked and heart racing at his words, “What?”

Lance sat up straight, looking oddly at Keith, “The love I have for you can only be measured by the distance of the universe. That’s what he said.”

“Oh… that's - that's so sweet.” Keith tried to smile off his jumpy behavior and he was saved from probing by Lance when the waiters arrived and handed them all menus.

He thanked the heavens the menu was in both English and Spanish, not needing help from Lance to figure it out. After ordering and being served a glass of wine, they toasted to their first night in Colombia and to the beginning of an exciting night.

“Lance!” screamed one of his cousin's from his father’s side named Victor, “wanna come with us to town for some bar hopping?”

“Yeah! Totally!” said Lance. 

“Miguel, Markus, Natalie?”

“Sure, tomorrow is the one day I don't have wedding planning in the morning,” said Natalie.

“ _ Mamí?”  _ begged Miguel to Melly with big eyes.

“I'll take Ginny tonight. You all have a good time,” she replied.

“Sweet!” replied Miguel.

“Can I come?” asked Ricardo.

“No! No way! You are too young,” scolded Melly.

“No I’m not! I turned eighteen two weeks ago and here everything is legal at eighteen,” replied Ricardo.

“He has a point,” said Lance.

“Come on,  _ Mamí.  _ Let Ricardo have his first wild adult night with his siblings,” begged Natalie.

She grumbled and turned to Henry. As usual he sided with the kids when he knew there was no real harm. “Fine! But I will not tolerate you misbehaving to the point that you ruin this wedding.”

“Have more faith in us,  _ Mamí.  _ We’ll take good care of Ricardo,” Lance smiled wickedly.

Melly raised a suspicious eyebrow and shook her head. 

“You guys have fun,” said Armando, “I still got how many more years?”

“Ten… in ten years you’ll be twenty one,” chuckled Ricardo.

“You guys will be old by then…”

“Excuse you,” said Miguel, “you, dear  _ hermano _ , are in for the ride of your life once you're that age. You may not fully understand what that means yet, but on your twenty-first birthday be warned that your siblings are going to show you the best night of your life.”

“He’s ten,” said Natalie, “you honestly are saying that now?”

“As if I'm lying.”

“Don't worry Armando. Tomorrow, we can all hit the beach after breakfast,” said Lance, “you can give me my mermaid body back.”

“Deal,” smiled the youngest McClain.

Keith couldn't remove the grin off his face. They were so natural and caring. The easy conversation. The lack of hesitation to converse with each other. The amount of trust and the bond between them. It enlightened Keith to a deeper understanding of Lance’s nature.

The meals arrived and they all began to eat. Lance moaned at the flavors of his churrasco and rice with red beans. He sniffed over to Keith’s plate and smelled the fresh fried whole fish. “Trades a bite?”

Keith cut him a piece and feed it to him, Lance returning the gesture. “This is tasty. I haven't had food this fresh in a long time,” said Keith, “plus these flavors.”

“I know! So good! It's not exactly the same but it reminds me of the fresh Cuban food down when I visit my  _ abuelos _ in Miami. Just, so much flavor!”

“I wanna try that.”

“One day we’ll go to Miami. Maybe next year’s spring break?”

“Okay.”

“Making plans for a year from now,” teased Natalie, “you two are making me have cavities.”

“Shut up, Nat! You're just jealous,” replied Lance.

“I'm getting married, I'm pretty positive I'm not,” she giggled.

Keith blushed as he tried to keep his focus on the meal. He had done it again. Something that seemed small to him at the moment became bigger and more important once reminded. Plans for a year from now. That meant he planned on being with Lance for that whole year - yet, when he truly thought about it, the panic easily shifted to joy.

Never had he lacked such anxiety than right now.

He put his silverware down and grabbed Lance’s hand. “Yeah. But I'm the better catch,” he joked, pretending to give the cocky Lance smile and wink.

Lance’s siblings laughed, even his mother and father were giggling. Lance couldn't help it, “See. That's why I win.”

They continued eating their meals and enjoying casual conversations. Eventually, the aunts started to ask Keith and Lance questions about college and their relationship. Keith was happy that him and Lance had decided to never bring up the  _ wingman with benefits _ end of their story to anyone in their families outside of those that already knew. He wasn’t sure if he could honestly answer questions based on those events to the adults in Lance’s family. 

“You’ve only known your parents since you were fifteen?” asked Melly. 

“Yes. I was officially adopted at seventeen,” he replied. 

“God bless them. They are good people to give you such a chance at family,” said Martha, “you could have been easily lost to the system and who knows where you might have ended up. They are a true blessing.”

“And funny too. Your father is so witty,” commented Henry. 

“This summer we should all have dinner together. Maybe invite the family over to our home in Arcadia and see the farm. We can do a pig,” suggested Melly. 

Miguel, Lance, Ricardo, and Armando’s mouths already started to water. 

“Why not come over before end of August for my farewell party. I plan to keep it just direct family, but I would love for Allura and Shiro to come,” said Natalie, “might as well invite the whole family.” 

“I’ll ask them, but I’m sure they would love to.” Keith winced as he felt Lance’s hand rest on his knee, squeezing it. When he looked to Lance, there was a serine look. He had never seen it before, but when his blue eyes looked towards him, Keith knew what Lance was thinking.

After dessert, everyone started to hug and kiss goodbye, making causal plans for the next day and the cousins started to arrange where they would meet to head into town. Keith and Lance walked to the elevators with some of the cousins and only split from them as they entered their room. 

Unbuttoning the first few buttons on his shirt, Keith started to sit on the edge of the bed. 

Lance crawled on the bed and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder, “As expected, you were great.” 

“I see I was the only one doubting myself.” 

“Why were you doubting yourself. I told you there was nothing to worry about.”

“I’ve never met anyone’s family before and I’m not used to being around so many… I’m having more fun than I expected…” 

“What had you expected?” 

“To have a week long panic attack.” 

“And?”

“All I feel is peace… it’s a nice change.” Keith placed his hands on Lance’s forearm, stroking his fingers up and down, “we should get ready. I could use some drinking. It’s been a while.”

“Not since our first date,” laughed Lance, “let’s not make those same mistakes. I would like to enjoy my vacation without also dealing with a massive hangover.” 

Keith turned his head and kissed Lance sweetly, “Agreed.”  

#

They were able to take a shuttle offered by the resort into town. With a simple phone call, it would return and they would be able to head back without having to worry. It dropped them off in the middle of a busy street, filled with night time entertainment. The buildings were structured in two styles - old with brightly colored brick buildings dancing is hand written signs and portraits and newly constructed tall buildings that reminded Lance of the newer hotels rising in Miami.

Regardless, everyone had music blasting from inside. People dancing and drinking, even some areas had sections for card and bar games. It was filled with locals and tourists alike, but all Keith could do was keep his eyes focused on where Lance’s ever moving hips. 

Lance kept swinging his hips to the various beats surrounding. He felt electrified, lost in the madness of the music and energy of the people surrounding him. 

“Seems it's time to put you on the dance floor,” commented one of his cousins named Melissa. 

“Duh! You know I love to dance,” he replied. 

They finally picked a night club. It’s walls were hand paints in greens and yellows, making it glow like a beautiful open field. The music kicked up as if welcoming them inside. Looking around, they found a corner to call their own as Miguel found the bar and started ordering everyone their drinks. 

Lance snatched one of the chairs and pulled Keith down to the one beside him. The music pumped, Lance unable to control the urge to move with the music, but held back by wanting to stay by Keith’s side. 

Keith grabbed Lance’s hand and tapped his fingers along with the beat of the drums. To Lance he felt the rhythm in his hips. To Keith, he felt them from his musical core. 

Miguel arrived with a tray of beers and a large bottle of rum, “It’s Cuban! Some of the fine stuff.” Lance’s side of the family cheered as some of Markus’ cousins stood up and said they would get the good Colombian stuff. Miguel poured everyone a shot and in several swift movements, everyone felt the warm and bitter afterburn of the dark rum. 

“Yes! This is what I’ve been waiting for!” shouted Ricardo who took a seat beside Keith after some of the cousins started to hit the dance floor. 

Natalie approached her younger brother and forced herself on his lap, “Oh, this is so wonderful. I’m glad we were able to bring you. I demand a dance at some point.” 

“Duh!” he replied as he started to chug his beer. 

“Lance, when will you whisk me away?” she asked. 

“Once I hear the righ -” He couldn’t finish his sentence as Marc Anthony’s “Vivir Mi Vida” started playing within the club. He quickly kissed Keith on the cheek, “I’ll be right back… let’s go Nat!” In a dashing motion, he stood up, grabbed Natalie and headed to the dance floor; Miguel and Trish followed closely behind. 

The dance floor was not the type Keith was used to seeing. The clubs he would frequent were more about rock or techno music. The dancing style was completely different to the range of space he saw before him. Here, they were expected to know how to dance and to provide a certain amount of space between each pair. 

You were considered a master the more space the others would naturally give you - and that space rapidly opened around Lance and Natalie. 

Keith watched in astonishment; all the hints he had seen over the time he knew Lance came to play. Lance didn’t only know how to move his hips, he nearly looked like a professional dancer. He guided and led Natalie around the dance floor, gracefully moving his hips and legs without missing a beat with the song. He led Natalie perfectly into each step, showcasing a better understanding of the music and the mobility of his legs than his normal ability to walk. 

It made no sense. Anytime he danced with Keith, it seemed humorous or playful, never so rhythmic yet commanding. As the song progressed, he exuded a confidence Keith had never seen before. He twirled Natalie across the dance floor and started singing along with the song, moving his hands sometimes to match the meaning of the lyrics. After holding Natalie close to him and spinning both of them around, he gave Keith a knowing smile and flirtatious wink. 

Keith had never been so turned on in his whole life. 

“You guys haven’t had sex yet,” commented Ricardo as he started his third beer.

“Wh - What!” yelled Keith, a little louder than he had expected. 

“I can tell by the way you’re about to bite through your own lip and the fact you look surprised he could dance.”

“I - I didn’t know he could.” 

“He does that. Always hides his given talent to dance latin music so perfectly.” 

“Why?” 

“I think it has to do with why he quit ballroom dancing to begin with.”

“Wait… he ballroom danced?” 

“Yes and no. As a kid he did all the ballroom dancing, but by the time he was seven he strictly studied latin dances which is why he looks like such a pro. It’s cause he is.” 

Keith’s eyes wandered back to Lance. Ricardo continued, “It won’t look any better than when he’s dancing with Natalie. That’s why they are so close. She dragged him to dancing school ‘cause she wanted to do it and he’s the one that ended up liking it. She stuck with ballet, but she kept doing the latin dancing to be his partner until he met up with some girl when he was eleven. Honestly, I can’t even remember her name, cause he quit two years later.” 

“Why did he quit?”

“He said it wasn’t fun anymore. The competitive nature of the ballroom scene was taking away his love for dancing. He always ranked high, but all it did was add pressure to keep doing better and all he wanted to do was have fun. My parent usually don’t let us quit, but they would if it wasn’t something we wanted anymore. When he started getting insecure and hating himself is when they let him quit. He never went back, but he kept practicing at home and kept it to what you see now. A professional only seen when near family.” 

Keith figured it out - that had to be the reason he always seemed to be suppressing himself when dancing or making it some kind of joke. He didn’t want anyone to know he could dance, but the reason still felt unclear. “I just don’t get how he could feel insecure if he’s that good.” 

“In any good competitive arena, there are people that will tear you down and break you to pieces. He may not seem it sometimes, but Lance is fragile. He wants to live a happy and easy life, so when negativity is surrounding him and he feels like he’s the cause, he will just drowns in self-pity. It’s a hard thing to imagine because he always puts others first. He hides his self-doubts well.” 

Keith’s eyes changed as he watched Lance, now seeing why this moment - watching him be near his natural abilities - felt so yearning and called to him. This was Lance at his truest; near his family, dancing to latin music, and being surrounded by paradise. It was the ideal place to let go of himself and it made Keith wonder if maybe - maybe - he brought out more of the Lance he kept hidden. 

Before the next song could start, Lance left the dance floor and approached Keith. He grabbed a beer and sat down, “That was fun! Got to take this minute before someone else drags me out there.” 

“I can see why… why didn’t you tell me you could dance?” 

“Oh - um, I just never thought to mention it.” 

“Not even the part about you basically being a professional latin ballroom dancer?” 

“Ricardo!” 

Ricardo quickly left his seat and took Natalie’s hand into the dance floor. 

“Why are you ashamed of that? You are so good.” 

“It’s not that I’m ashamed, I just don’t really talk about it anymore. It’s not a part of my life anymore and hasn’t been for a long time.” 

“Hey,” Keith grabbed Lance’s cheeks with one hand and forced him to face him, “if I had to go through my own personal battles to tell you my story, then I think maybe you can tell me about your ballroom dancing days. I’m not saying you should return. I just want to know more about you.” 

Lance smiled causing his cheeks to crush against Keith’s grip, “Yeah… your right. I’ll tell you later, when we don’t have to shout over the music.

Keith leaned and gave him a kiss, “Deal.” 

Lance wanted more and moved his chair closer, leaving his hands to rest on Keith’s shoulders as he pulled him in for a longer and more drawn out kiss. 

“Ew, can the two of you save it for the bedroom,” joked Miguel, “some of us remember we are in public.” Lance threw a bottle cap towards Miguel and ignored him, continuing with kissing Keith until he was eventually pulled away and forced back into the dance floor. 

Keith smiled, grateful to have learned something new about his boyfriend. Then, he realized something else - until now, he was the one spilling all the secrets. This was the first time Keith had learned something deep about Lance. 

Ricardo was right. Lance always put others emotions first, but now Keith was determined to change that.

#

“I'm not taking him. We have Ginny,” said Miguel, adjusting Ricardo’s left arm over his shoulder.

“And don't you dare suggest me! It's my wedding week and I am not taking a drunk Ricardo into my honeymoon suite,” added Natalie, holding Markus close to her.

“Then, let’s just take him to his room,” said Lance assisting with Ricardo’s right shoulder.

“I like adulting with you guys…” drunkenly spoke Ricardo.

“And let  _ Mamí  _ see this! No way! She’ll lock him up until the wedding day,” said Natalie.

Lance groaned, rolling his eyes and having them land of Keith, “I'm not making the suggestion.”

“You guys are the best siblings…” said Ricardo.

“No… not happening,” added Lance.

“We’ll take him to our room,” replied Keith. Lance groaned louder.

“Thank you Keith! You're turning out to be better than Lance,” hugged Natalie.

Lance grumbled.

“Keith is so good at playing with his joystick… I should call you joystick master! Such a good gaming partner,” mumbled Ricardo.

“Joystick master. Man, that has several connotations,” laughed Miguel.

“Let's just take him to my room!” cried Lance.

They dragged Ricardo’s drunk and limp body over to Lance and Keith’s room. Once inside, Lance disgruntledly dropped his half of Ricardo on the ground, leaving Miguel off balanced and losing his own hold. 

“You’re not gonna leave him there, are you?” said Miguel. 

“I sure am.” He walked over Ricardo and entered the bathroom. 

“He seems grumpy,” commented Markus. 

Keith shook his head knowing exactly why Lance was upset, “He’ll be fine. We got this. You all go and rest up.” They left Ricardo on the floor with Keith and shut the door behind them. Keith sighed, lightly tapping Ricardo with his shoe. Ricardo responded with a small groan and then a loud snore; he had fallen asleep. 

Lance reappeared from the bathroom, having changed to his long pajamas and an unusual change in actually wearing a t-shirt. When he noticed where Keith’s eyes lingered, he crossed his arms and complained, “Well I’m stuck taking care of him, so why even bother getting comfortable…” 

Keith laughed as he walked over the knocked out Ricardo and grabbed Lance’s arm. He dragged him into the bathroom and pushed him in. “What are you doing?” 

Keith pushed the door behind him and immediately removed his shirt. Without wasting anytime, he grabbed Lance into a sultry kiss and forced him to sit on the bathroom counter. For a second, he pulled back and whispered into Lance’s ear, “He’s out cold. We can just seek some privacy in here.” 

Lance gave an alluring grin before responding by pulling Keith back into a kiss. His hands started to explore Keith’s bare skin, taking the time to touch every curve and bump along his arms and back.

Keith’s impatience got the best of him as he shoved Lance back and forced himself some space in order to remove Lance’s shirt. He tossed it towards the tub and guided his hands to keep Lance slightly leaned back. He trailed his lips against Lance’s chest, kissing down behind the trail he started with his hand. It reached Lance’s pantline and teased by grazing his teeth against Lance’s chest. 

“Keith… what... “ 

Keith chuckled as he moved his hand between Lance’s legs and motioned his grip against him. Lance jolted his head back, biting his lip in order not to moan too loudly and disrupt his sleeping brother. Keith felt Lance harden against his touch, wanting more to remove the garment and touch him directly, but he enjoyed the blushing and flustered look on Lance’s face too much to rush. 

Lance’s hands grabbed a hold of Keith’s hair, tugging lightly as he felt Keith tease along. He felt grateful to be seated, losing control of his legs from the pleasure and knowing he would have been unable to remain standing. As Keith kissed back up to Lance’s neck, Lance felt Keith move his hand to the edge of his pajama pants and pull the clothing down.

It all happened quickly - Keith’s hand slipped inside. He gripped onto Lance. Lance released a loud heated breath as he called Keith’s name and then Ricardo barged into the bathroom and ran straight for the toilet. 

For a moment, Keith and Lance froze in their position, but once they realized Ricardo had paid no mind to them, they readjusted themselves and sighed furiously. 

Lance cursed, fixing his pants, “This is why I’m wearing a shirt to bed tonight…” 

Keith went over to Ricardo, knowing that Lance needed a few minutes to calm down. He patted Ricardo on the back as he hurled into the toilet. The smell reeked of liquor and beer. After a minute, Lance jumped off the counter and sat on the floor opposite of Keith and beside Ricardo. “Hang in there, little bro, this happens to the best of us.” 

The initial anger disappeared as Ricardo kept hovering his head into the seat of the toilet. Keith moved over to be close to Lance, whispering, “Did you at least like it?” 

“Huh?” 

“What we started… did you at least like it?” 

Both boys blushed as Ricardo groaned in pain. They laughed and then Lance responded, “Of course… why would you think I didn’t?” 

“No… well, more that I just want to make sure I’m not going too far…” 

Lance kissed Keith on the cheek, “There is no more too far… I’m ready.” 

They gazed into each other’s eyes, lost in their happiness, only to be broken when Ricardo started to cry from the pain and blabber about some girl back at school and his upcoming senior prom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE DON'T HURT ME LIKE MY CO-AUTHOR DID! (she disliked that amount of tease here when I had her read the scene in the bathroom) 
> 
> One headcanon I've always loved in dancing Lance, but since he's a wonderful Cuban man and I love dancing to Spanish music, I had to make it latin dances. Duh! (Insert "Hips Don't Lie" reference... cause they DO NOT LIE!) 
> 
> Thank you guys so much for all the comments and kudos! Its been a thrill writing for you guys and hearing your thoughts. I will keep writing the best I can. 
> 
> *hint hint* Chapter 20... the teasing will end... 
> 
> REMEMBER UPDATES ARE NOW EVERY SATURDAY! <3 <3 <3
> 
> Fic Art:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-very) \- [Chapter 12 KLance Kiss](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
>  
> 
> Want to thank my betas for all their feedback.  
> Tumblr Accounts:  
> @toomanyusersforagoodusername  
> @karmadash-is-fandomtrash  
> @kharapaws
> 
> Also, feel free to watch my tumblr:  
> @paperrabbit13  
> See you next Saturday! <3


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this chapter. It's adorable. 
> 
> Cousin's night! 
> 
> Thanks again for all the comments and kudos! You are all amazing and I love you (and now my co-author is completely willing to join me writing KLance fics! So, we have three stories for after Wingman... check out my Tumblr for the updates on that! Wingman has been just me writing.)
> 
> You may need these:
> 
> "I Want You Back" - Jackson 5 https://youtu.be/DGDyAb6pePo
> 
> "Black Hole Sun" - Soundgraden https://youtu.be/3mbBbFH9fAg
> 
> Enjoy :) 
> 
> -Luna

Lance and Keith woke up, flat on their back on the bed with Ricardo lying against both their stomach.

“I assume you didn't sleep well,” said Lance.

“Nope,” replied Keith.

After counting to three, the two boys rolled Ricardo off and onto the floor. He groaned from the pain and could barely open his eyes. As revenge, Lance stood and opened the curtain wide to let the sunshine into the room.

Ricardo hissed like a vampire, feeling the pain in his head. “Lance… please…”

“No way! You ruined my first night so now I'm gonna ruin your morning.”

Lance stomped over to Ricardo, “Good morning little chicky… get up or I'm getting  _ Mamí.” _

“You - you wouldn't dare?”

“Test me.”

Ricardo stumbled onto his feet and looked over to Keith. Keith shook his head, “If you don't hurry, you won't make breakfast and then your mother will get suspicious.”

Ricardo staggered towards the door and opened it. Before he left, Lance spoke, “We’ll be getting you from your room in thirty minutes to walk with you to breakfast and will cover you… but this won't happen again this vacation.” Lance laughed and patted his brother on the back, “Get some water.”

Ricardo grinned and patted the back of Lance’s neck, “Last night was fun.”

“For sure. You know how to party little one.”

“So do you guys… and it hurts.”

Keith couldn't help but laugh as Lance lightly shoved his brother out of the room.

Keith stood and stretched his arms, walking over to the hotel’s coffee maker and beginning to make them two cups.

Lance wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist and kissed the nape of his neck. “I had fun last night… well, started to have fun.”

Keith pushed the on button before placing his hands against Lance’s arms, leaning his head to give Lance more access to his neck, “So did I… all of last night. Watching you dance; you should do that more often.”

“Oh?” Lance stepped forward and rolled his hip against Keith’s back, “I can dance for you…  _ cuando tú quiere. _ ” 

Keith groaned, flustered and aroused, “Don't tease…”

Lance started to nibble his neck, moving closer to leave little space between them. Keith moved his hands back, reaching for Lance’s hair and digging his fingers against him. “Lance…” he moaned.

Lance moved his hands up Keith’s shirt, reaching underneath and feeling his muscles against his fingertips. Lance trailed his lips upward, rubbing his cheek against Keith’s hair, “Keith… you are…”

“What?” Keith’s breath hot, matching the steam from the brewing coffee.

“You're the ultimate boyfriend…”

Keith chuckled through another frenzy of passion as Lance’s hand reached down to his pant line. “It's gonna happen…”

“I hope so…”

“No… someone is gonna come and bother us…”

“Huh? Keith, why are you…”

There was a pound on the door. “Lance, open up! Is Ricardo awake!” yelled Miguel.

Lance griped and bit down lightly on Keith’s shoulder from anger, “Why is this normal for us? Is the universe out to get me? I swear I've been good!”

“I'm starting to think we’re never going to be alone this vacation…” Keith turned and faced Lance, “we’ll figure it out.”

“Come on Lance!  _ Mamí  _ expects all of us at the dining hall in a few minutes. You know how she gets,” yelled Miguel.

With repeated thinking of the one time he caught his grandparents in bed when he was a child, Lance was able to revert from his heated mood. He left Keith to finish making coffee as he opened the door. “He’s not here.”

“Then, where is he?” demanded Miguel.

“In his room getting ready for breakfast. He was fine to move on his own and I was gonna go get him really quick.”

“Okay… that sounds good. Thanks for taking care of him.”

Lance sighed, but spoke the only truth he knew, “Anytime.”

“Are you still good to care for Ginny one night?”

“Yeah… hold up, let me get the itinerary.” Lance turned into his room and grabbed schedule. Looking through, he thought of the upcoming nights and trying to make sure Keith and him got sometime alone. “Alright, tonight is cousins night and it's a giant sleepover, so that's out. Friday is the wedding rehearsal, plus Hunk’s first night here, so I'm calling dibs on that night. Saturday is the wedding… no go as I'm gonna want to rest afterward. Seems Wednesday or Thursday will work.”

“I'll get with Trish and see what she says. Thanks a bunch. I tried asking  _ Mamí y Papí  _ but starting tomorrow, they are booked with all the wedding stuff.”

“Cool. I'll see you in the dining hall. We got Ricardo.”

Miguel waved good bye. Lance walked over to the bed and removed his shirt, crawling back into the sheets and looking out at the beach view. Keith sat beside him and gave him his cup of coffee.

“Why do you keep doing that?”

“What?”

“Accepting favors from your siblings?” 

“Cause they are my siblings. It's what we do.”

“But when are you going to ask them for a favor?”

“I do. All the time.”

Keith grabbed Lance’s face and forced him into a kiss, “I want to spend some alone time with you…  _ real  _ alone time and I can't if you keep doing these kind of favors.”

“I know… I promise I'm gonna demand whatever day he doesn't pick is for us.”

Keith’s face sours and he placed her forehead on Lance’s shoulder, “I just wish you would be a bit more selfish.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah… you're always going out of your way to make others happy. I realized, this whole time, you've been listening and you haven't really been speaking. Thanks for the open ears, but I wanna hear about you too. This is a partnership… and I want to make sure you know me as well as I know you.”

“Keith… I didn't mean to be closed off. I just wanted to help support your telling of your past.”

“And I appreciate it,” Keith lifted his head and moved close to Lance, leaving only inches apart from their faces, “but I want to learn more about you just the same. I want to listen.”

Lance smiled, never having someone offer to just hear him outside of Hunk. “Okay… I promise to talk a little more often.”

“Good.” Keith kissed Lance once again, “Come on, let's get some food.”

#

The day had gone progressively well. Lance and Keith hit the beach, as promised, with Armando and several other family members. The sun and water refreshed their mind, allowing them to forget the chaos of essays, papers, study guides, and exams from their college life. 

Armando dug Lance into a large hole and then shaped his body into a ale merman. With a wink and a playful tone, he pretend to be a flirting merman seeking a pirate for comfort. Keith couldn’t help but laugh and slightly play along when he realized he was said pirate. 

After lunch, the boys all went out into the city of Barranquilla. They enjoyed the sights of the locals and the freshly cooked meals of  _ tequenos, arepas,  _ and _ pan de bono. _ They couldn't help but want to taste all the local food and enjoy the local shops. For the most part, everything sold was just like back home, but the down to earth and welcoming charm of the shops made even a simple pack of gum seems much more extravagant. 

Best of all, Keith enjoyed watching Lance. From the way he spoke so casually and freely in Spanish to the continuous care and special consideration he had for Keith and everyone around him. He would help Armando reach items to high for him; he would suggest honest options on clothing his siblings and cousins tried on; he would never let go of Keith’s hand and always made sure he was having a good time.

Keith didn't need Lance to worry. He was having the time of his life. 

When they took the shuttle back, Keith realized how tired his body had felt, but he wanted to something - anything - to show his appreciation for Lance. He had still seen the giving nature of his boyfriend, but he wanted to be the one to finally give back.

“I had fun,” he whispered, grabbing Lance’s hand and holding it tightly, “you’ll have to start teaching me Spanish.”

“For sure! We can start once we are back home if you'd like,” Lance leaned closer to Keith.

“How can I thank you?”

“For what?”

“All of this… this experience… this trip… this,” he lifted their clenched hands.

“Keith, you do realize you're the one always gifting me things. Honestly, you make me always feel so bad with all the little surprises you keep giving me.”

Keith lifted his head and looked remorseful at Lance. Before he could speak, Lance quickly countered, “Wait, don't get me wrong! I love them. I really appreciate it every time. It makes me feel like you really care about me and that, in some way, I make you happy.”

“Of course you make me happy… but…”

“But nothing. You make me happy too and that is all that matters.”

“So you want me to stop buying you things.”

“Hell no! I love being your trophy boyfriend!” Lance laughed and kissed Keith on the lips. 

They arrived back at the hotel and the two boys walked in and separated from their company when they reached the door. Keith went directly to the bed and fell forward onto his pillow, “I'm so tired.”

Lance proceeded to fall on top of him and wrapped his arms around, “We’re going to be expected to stay up all night.”

“Sleep now?” yawned Keith.

Lance curled against Keith’s back and got comfortable. Their awkward position oddly felt welcoming and they both quickly fell to sleep.

Hours later, there was a pounding on the door, “You guys coming?” Ricardo’s voice echoed through the door as Lance’s head darted up.

“The cousin night…” he whispered exhaustingly, “yeah, we’ll meet you all there!” Lance shook Keith awake. He rolled over on his back, trying to readjust his eyes to become alert to his surroundings. Keith reached his arm over Lance and lifted his chin to rest on Lance’s chest.

“What is the required wear?” asked Keith. 

“Pajamas. It's a slumber party.”

“At least I'll be comfortable.”

Lance laughed, “Just you wait until you see what I'm wearing.”

Moments later, Keith and Lance left their room and started heading towards the banquet halls of the hotel. Keith wondered what Lance had meant. It made no sense; he was sporting a regular pair of flannel blue pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt with the words “I Prefer to Be Asleep” printed on it. 

The shirt was humorous, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Stepping out of the elevator, Lance took Keith’s hand and led him to the banquet halls. There were two rooms opened. One labeled  _ Bride  _ and the other  _ Groom. _

“Seems they are both having the same party with their own family,” said Lance, “this is gonna be great.” Lance’s smile and childish speech gave away his excitement. He loved his family and, more so, he loved doing ridiculous events with them. 

The fact that this one in particular was led by Natalie made it all the better.

Lance and Keith walked into the bride’s banquet hall. Immediately they were immersed in the sounds of music pumping in the speakers near a small stage set to the back of the room. Lance’s cousin Pedro sat at a table to the right, controlling a sound system and the lights of the room. They danced in various rainbow colors, making it more festive and fun. Laid out against every remaining inch of the room were comfortable blankets, pillows, and bowls of snack - it was the largest slumber party either had seen.

Lance scanned the room for any of his siblings and once he saw Armando lying on the fanciest blanket and pillows, he knew that was their reserved spot.

They walked over and immediate fell to the floor. Lance grabbed a blanket and attacked Keith, wrapping him underneath and tossing him about. To Armando, it looked playful, like a monster attacking from under the bed, but Lance had used it as a moment to get closer to Keith and sneak a quick kiss before reappearing cuddled side by side, wrapped in the blanket.

The music kept blasting, making some of the cousins start dancing. The moment Trish entered with Ginny, the little one was moving her hips to the pop music. 

“Armando. Lance. Natalie and your brothers are waiting through that door,” said Trish.

“Alright. I'll be right back. Mingle. Have a good time,” Lance kissed Keith on the cheek before bouncing to his feet and leaving with Armando.

Trish sat beside Keith, allowing Ginny to play with her cousins as she got comfortable, “Wild, right?”

“Can't say you were wrong. Their family is overwhelming, but I'm having more fun than I expected,” replied Keith. 

“That is exactly how you should feel. It's how I felt when I was young.”

“When did you meet the family?”

“I was seventeen when I met the extended family. Miguel and I were highschool sweethearts. When we went off to college, I got pregnant with Ginny. We always knew we would marry, but our daughter moved up the timeline,” she laughed, “I remember being nervous about telling his family we were pregnant. They were so kind to me since we met, but they were conservative, believed in old fashioned moralities, but I was pleasantly surprised how much they embraced me and only loved me more. In the end, as long as there is love, his family… his whole family, will help and welcome you.”

Keith grinned and looked around, taking in the details of the room and enjoying the energy of everyone surrounding them. He didn't remember all their names yet, but he knew that with time he would. He wanted to stay near them, keep warm in their loving embrace, standing beside Lance.

Just then, the music stopped and Pedro spoke into a microphone. “ _ Bienvenidos  _ McClain and Rodriguez family to cousin’s night!” The family went crazy, screaming and finding a place to sit, “tonight, we celebrate our dear  _ prima’s  _ wedding by getting together and having ourselves some fun without our parents.” Everyone screamed even louder, “Natalie wanted us to gather doing one of her favorite activities - a karaoke slumber party! What we will do is you can come here and pick a song from the books and then fill out a paper. This screen beside me will show who is next with what song, but we can't start this party with a random performance. Everyone, give it up for the bride herself along with her siblings. Give them a hand!”

The lights went dim as everyone cheered. Ginny ran over to her mother and sat between her and Keith, clapping along with everyone. Keith felt excited, knowing that Lance was about to appear on stage, but then everything made sense - the reason Lance had said he would enjoy his outfit.

The four older McClain children appeared, standing in complete head to toe onesie pajamas. Each of them in a different colors, but all in the same shape - lions.

Keith couldn't help but laugh. The wonderful obsession of Lance’s with lions started to make more sense. He wanted to call them a pride because, to him, it meant family.

Lance had his back facing the crowd; a small blue tail matching the fabric of the whole onesie. The only member of the family missing was Armando, but the way the other four posed and held a steady stance on stage made it clear it was all part of the performance.

The music ripped through the speaker. The first few notes clearly giving away the song without much thought; The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back.”

The opening notes called for the four older McClain’s to start a dancing number until Armando’s echoed through the speakers as he slid to the center of the stage. They all kept in sync, clearly having had rehearsed this song several times over the years. The four older siblings kept the harmony as Armando jammed out in classic little Michael Jackson style on the stage. They moved like the real Jackson 5, dancing and singing to the music; even glancing at each other for support mid performance.

To the audience, especially Keith, the visuals were heartwarming yet humorous. Their dancing was impeccable and their singing was fun and charming, but the addition of the lion suits made it hysterical in a loving and unique way. It was them, the perfect representation of their closeness and bond. 

Keith adored watching Lance on the stage, loving every little pop of his hip or grin towards his siblings. Endearing and charismatic were the words that detailed the presentation in front of him. With a wink and a finger gun pointed to Keith, Lance invited him into the moment. For the first time, Keith completely understood what Trish had meant - he was now part of their family.

As the song ended, they struck a pose, allowing their family's member to take pictures of the moment. Pedro spoke, “Alright give up one more time for the bride and her brothers! I'm sure this isn't their last performance! We’re gonna get started with more karaoke in the next fifteen minutes, so come on down and get those slips filled out.”

Lance leaped off the stage, holding the hands of Natalie and Ricardo as they all walked back to their section of the room holding hands.

“ _ Papí!  _ You were so funny!” screamed Ginny as she ran into her father’s arms.

“That was seriously amazing,” said Keith as Lance plopped beside him. As a reward, Lance pulled at him by the waist and nuzzled his nose against his neck.

“Thanks mothy. I'm glad you liked it.”

“Mothy?”

“As in mothman.”

Keith couldn’t take it serious anymore. Giving in, he wrapped his arm around Lance’s shoulder and pulled him down so his head would rest on his lap, “Yeah, okay. That works, cub.”

Lance blushed as Keith leaned down and gave him a kiss. In seconds, both felt pillows hit them. “Not here!” joked Natalie, “family time!”

Lance started to sit up, but Keith pulled himself as close as he could to Lance, sticking out his tongue to Natalie. She chuckled, “I see Lance has taught you well.”

“Or he’s finally realized and come to terms with the fact he's dating the craziest of you all,” said Trish.

“A little of both. I'm sure,” replied Lance, embracing Keith.

They all laughed as Ricardo reached over to grab a bowl full of M&Ms, placing it in the center of them all. They joked, teasing each other of their performance before a waiter passed by and they ordered some drinks.

Keith and Lance enjoyed bottles of cider while the others had soda and beers. The first set of cousins took the stage as they began singing one of the recent popular pop songs. The atmosphere continued in this fashion - cousin after cousin kept taking the stage, singing a variety of songs from different time periods. 

At times, the siblings would request to go back on stage. Some of Keith’s favorites were Trish and Miguel singing “Ain't No Mountain High Enough,” Natalie, Ricardo, and Lance doing “Hot Stuff” with the added accessory of feather boas, and Armando and Ginny doing “Hakuna Matata.”

Keith loved every second of it, clapping and relaxing from his comfortable position on his blanket. The clock started to pass midnight when Lance realized something, “Babe, why don't you go up and sing?”

“What? No, I'm good just watching.”

“Come on, Keith! Go up! We’ve all embarrassed ourselves,” said Ricardo.

“Please. It's my wedding week and the bride is make a request,” said Natalie.

“Come on. I'll go with you if you want. We can do a cheesy love song. Maybe High School Musical?” laughed Lance.

“I’d prefer to sing alone.” He kissed Lance on the cheek, “fine. Just stay here. It'll be a surprise.” Keith stood up and walked off, his pajamas giving Lance a view he secretly enjoyed.

“Focus young cub,” said Miguel and he shoulder checked him lightly.

Keith didn't take too long selecting a song. He returned to the blanket to wait his turn, drinking and finishing his cider faster than before.

“Nervous?”

“A little. It's been a long time since I sang in front of a crowd.”

“Oh? When was the last time?”

“High school. Just before I went back to school.”

“Why would you be nervous? It's just karaoke. You've heard me, I'm tone deaf.”

“That's true.”

“Hey! You weren't suppose to agree.” They laughed before Lance noticed Keith’s name on the screen, “You're next. Go get them, mothy.”

Keith shook his head and walked up to the waiting area.

“Oh man! Soundgarden! Keith is officially my favorite brother-in-law,” said Miguel.

Natalie shoved his arm, “Shut up!”

The family clapped at the previous performer stepped off the stage. Keith took center stage, placing the microphone on the stand and waiting for the music. 

The guitar sound played through the speakers along with the sound of a siren. Keith looked focused, as he usually did whenever he did anything. Lance grinned at Keith’s strong stance against the mic stand, almost looking like he knew what he was doing - then, he sang. 

“ _ In my eyes _ …”

“Oh my god,” said Miguel.

“ _ Indisposed… _ ” 

“Holy shit,” gasped Natalie as she covered her mouth.

“ _ In disguises no one know _ …”

“Keith can sing!” shouted Lance. 

“ _ Hides the face, lies the snake; The sun in my disgrace _ …” Keith held the microphone like a rock god. He moved slowly with the song; his bangs covering his face just at the right points to make him look like someone in a music video. His voice rough, yet smooth depending on the note he sung. There was no denying his understanding of the appropriate notes to hit, the pitch, tone, and tempo perfectly aligned with the song.

He had this one last part of him hidden and Lance was completely enthralled.

He became one with the song, losing his focus to making sure the audience was captured, but he hadn't realized how quickly he had achieved his goal. Keith held them in his voice, lost in the strength of the song and seemingly missing a complete band behind him.

“ _ Black hole sun, Won't you come, And wash away the rain, Black hole sun, Won't you come, Won't you come…” _

Lance lost himself to the vision of watching Keith. He felt like a fanboy, watching from the crowd and longing to have just a moment with the famous singer, but Keith wasn't a rock star and Lance already had a claim on that singer.

For a moment, Lance felt alone with Keith - just him, the song, the spotlights glimmering against his every curve, and Keith singing just to him.

Keith pulled back his head, allowing his hair to move back as the song ended and he took a step away from the microphone. He kept breathing heavily. The adrenaline of the moment consuming him. He hadn't felt so in control in so long and he realized how much he had missed it. It took sometime for him to notice the cheering from the crowd and Lance jumping to his feet cheering the loudest.

He smiled, exhausted, as he stepped off the stage and went directly to his area. Lance pulled him down into a hug, “Babe! You're so good! Why didn't you tell me you could sing?”

“I told you I was in a band.”

Lance held him by the arms with some distance. “No you haven't.”

“Yes I have. The Fosters.”

“No,” Lance shook his head, “you never mentioned it.”

“We never did.”

“We?”

“The boys. Matt, Garth, and Barry. We were in a band together from eighth grade until I was seventeen and they moved away. We were called The Fosters.”

“Oh my god! You never told me!”

“Oh, well then. I guess  _ now  _ you know everything.” Keith tried to laugh it off. “We were pretty popular in our school.”

“Well, yeah! You were like a rock god up there!”

Keith blushed, “Stop exaggerating.”

“I'm not.” Lance smiled and pulled him closer, “you should do another song.”

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah! I wanna see you up there again,” he shifted his eyes and then leaned over to Keith’s ear, whispering, “that was such a turn on.” 

Keith blushed and started shaking his head, agreeing with the suggestion. He stood up and went back to the books, selecting a few more songs for the night. 

“You guys are so adorable together,” said Natalie as she popped some M&Ms into her mouth, “it’s kind of sickening.” 

“You’re the one that kept suggesting we get together,” Lance leaned back on the floor bedding and rested his head on a pillow, waiting and keeping his eye on Keith. 

“I never figured you two would be so grossly adorable. I regret being a part of this,” she joked. 

“Whatever, Nat!” he threw a pillow at her. 

“Seriously, I’m happy for you. Maybe the next time we have a night like this, you’re the groom we would be celebrating.” 

“Don’t get ahead, Nat,” said Miguel, “you always used to complain when the family would try and pressure you and Markus into marriage or the conversation of marriage. Don’t do it to Lance.” Natalie huffed, crossing her arms at the disagreement of her brother’s trust words. “It’s good to see you this way, though. I never thought you would ever be this happy with anyone.” 

“What is that suppose to mean?” asked Lance. 

“You were always the  _ wam bam thank you ma'am, _ type guy. You never had a real steady relationship before.”

“I’ve had boyfriends and girlfriends before. You’ve met them.” 

“But none of them mattered,” added Ricardo, “we all knew none of them were ever really serious. Keith is different.” 

“He makes you super happy,” said Armando. 

Lance squinted his face, trying to think back. He had never thought about it; the depth of his emotions for Keith. He could recall how it used to be - insecure, questioning all the time if his partner even felt anything in return. An attraction? Some emotions? Real emotions? Anything beyond the playful, flirtatious, and witty persona that Lance would put on. 

Not with Keith. For some reason - in some way - he was his truest self around him, but it was the self he always wanted to be; confident, charming, lovable, and kind. He was secure with who he was around Keith, which made his heart only skip when he thought about it. 

Never in a million years would he have allowed himself to be dressed in a blue lion onesie, having performed various karaoke numbers on stage in said outfit, with the knowledge that his boyfriend was in the audience. That would have never been acceptable, beyond his previous comfort zones, but his comfort zone had expanded far beyond the reach of his own consciousness and its new name was Keith. 

_ “I realized, this whole time, you've been listening and you haven't really been speaking. Thanks for the open ears, but I wanna hear about you too. This is a partnership… and I want to make sure you know me as well as I know you.” _

Lance realized what he had to do, the words echoing in his head. When Keith returned, he naturally laid beside Lance and cuddled against him as they waited for his next song. 

Natalie and Miguel had a song coming up. They darted to their feet as Armando went over to speak with some of their younger cousins. Ricardo kept focused to the stage as Ginny begged her mother to take her to the restroom. In a room full of people, they had a moment of solitude. “Thursday night will be our planned night together,” said Lance. 

“Okay. Why are you bringing this up?” 

“I wanna tell you a bit more about me. Open up as you did.” 

Keith smiled and nuzzled his rustled hair against Lance’s chin. Lance playfully purred as Keith replied, “Sounds like fun.” 

“Let me set something up. Something for just the two of us.” 

“Even if I wanted to do it, I can’t speak Spanish.” 

Lance laughed, “Perfect. For now, let’s keep enjoying this.” 

“For sure, cub.” 

“Whatever, mothy.” 

The remainder of the night became a blur of music, dancing, laughing, and singing. Keith performed several more classics from the eighties and even asked Lance to help him sing “Eye of the Tiger” by playing air guitar. As the sun began to rise against the horizon, the slumber party came to a close with little to no sleeping having been had by all. Keith and Lance went directly to their room, too tired to even care about anything else but sleep. Falling onto their bed, they cradled each other and allowed the exhaustion to take control, neither waking up until right before dinner. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mothy and Cub: It came to me in a dream (or whatever lmao!)
> 
> So, yeah, Keith was in a band with his friends and they were called The Fosters, now you know why his group chat name was that all along (bwahaha it was there the whole time). Now you know his final secret, for which he really didn't mean to keep. lol. 
> 
> BTW, I love the lion suits and I want one so bad! The McClain family just means everything to me <3
> 
> Thanks again for every comment and kudos you guys leave. Its been a thrill knowing you guys are enjoying it... Love you all!
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Deep Inhale* I love this chapter so much. So fluffy. Please enjoy!
> 
> Thank you all for the comments and kudos! I really love all the thoughts you guys keep sending me. <3
> 
> -Luna

The day after the cousins night was a blur of exhaustion and caregiving. It was the night Lance promised Miguel he’d watch Ginny. After finally waking up around dinner time, they both groaned of losing a day in paradise and knowing their night would be filled with entertaining a small child. Still, Keith and Lance did their best to have some fun with  _ their _ niece. 

After eating, the two boys took Ginny out for sightseeing around the hotel. They spent sometime at the beach during the sunset, admiring Ginny and her knowledge of colors - extensive almost scary ability to name unique and various colors. 

She pointed to the sky as she sat on Lance’s shoulders - Keith loving and adoring those shoulders for which he secretly found to be the most appealing aspect of Lance’s body.

“Iris,” she pointed towards Keith. 

“What are you talking about Ginny. His name isn’t Iris; its Keef,” replied Lance.

Keith grumbled at Lance’s playfulness towards his niece. She shook her head in disagreement before pointing again, “His eyes are iris.” 

“My eyes? The color?” 

“Yeah! Pretty!” she shouted gleefully. 

Keith didn’t really handle her complement well, only made worse with Lance’s reply, “Oh yes. And the most beautiful iris eyes in the universe.” 

Ginny started to giggle and clap her hands. “Kiss! Kiss! When daddy says mommy is beautiful, she always gives him a kiss.” 

Lance chuckled before shrugging his shoulders at Keith, “Can’t deny the young lady.” Keith shook his head, but leaned in and gave Lance a sweet kiss against the pale tints of the orange sunset. 

From there, they took her to the hotel’s gaming room where some of their younger family members were playing. The boys enjoyed their time together with her, playing racing, shooting, and, with Lance’s assistance, cheating on a match against Keith on tabletop hockey. 

By the time it struck ten, Ginny was showing signs of fatigue and they took her back to their room. Lance took care of preparing her for bed as Keith ordered them some dessert to enjoy while she began to fall asleep - he was grateful the people at the front desk spoke English. 

Moments later, Keith had a tray of cake slices, milk, and cookies place in front of them on the bed as Ginny sleep peacefully between them. Eating, they kept the television low and spoke to each other in a whisper. 

“Do you want kids?” asked Keith.

Lance wasn’t sure he heard the question; overreacting by eating his cookie too forcefully. “Did I hear you right?” 

“Depends on what you heard.” 

“Do I want kids?” 

“You heard me correctly.”

“Ye - Yeah… what brings this on?” 

“The way you interact with Ginny. You’re such a good uncle, it only seems natural you would make a great dad.” 

“Well, then I guess the next question would be if you ever want kids.”

“Wh - oh…” Keith hadn’t put the thoughts together. He didn’t realize that by asking Lance if he wanted kids it could also mean with him. “I actually never thought about it. I mean, before you, I figured I was going to live a life of being a hermit crab living on my own forever with me and my job.” 

“Sounds pleasant,” joked Lance. 

“But, you changed everything and, well, yeah, I can see myself having some kids. If I’ve learned anything so far from this trip its how much I really like your family or more, the concept of family. Shiro and my parents showed me how it is to feel welcomed and find love from a family, but you are showing me what it means to experience it in a different way and it's something I want to be a part of. I want to include my own family in this and, I think, I’d like to expand it.” Keith smiled down to Ginny, picturing this moment but in the future.

His gaze broke when Lance reached over and took his head. “I never really thought about it either. I mean, we’re still in a new relationship but, hearing you say that doesn’t scare me to think that in the future - a crazy distant future - one day we can maybe start  _ expanding _ .” 

Keith squeezed Lance’s hand, “I like the sound of that.” 

#

Keith awoke to being alone in the room. He looked around, trying to figure out where Lance had gone, but when he noticed Ginny was missing, he figured he had taken her away.

Heading to the restroom, he found a note waiting for him at the sink. It read:

_ Good morning Mothy!  _

_ Please get yourself ready for what I've got planned today. I will be picking you up around lunch, so relax a bit. Take a relaxing bath or enjoy the breakfast I had placed for you on the balcony so you could enjoy the ocean breeze. When it's time, be looking hot (not that you need much assistance with that).  _

_ Today, I'm going to spoil you.  _

_ \- Cub _

Keith couldn't help but gleam at the note. He washed his face and teeth and walked out to the balcony. Lance’s note hadn’t lied; there was a small breakfast of fresh fruits,  _ pan de bono _ , and bottle of juice waiting for him on a small table. He did as he was told, sitting and watching the ocean’s waves as he ate. Out of the corner of his eye he saw someone looking up to him. With a wave, he smiled to Lance as Lance waved back before from the ocean shore and then disappearing into the hotel.

Keith became more curious as to the events of what was to come. He wanted more than anything to know, but he realized Lance was playing some game.

It was a date - a real date and Keith wanted more than anything for it to start. 

It had been far too long since they went out and had any form of real date with just the two of them. Back at  _ The V _ , it was nearly impossible to do anything alone if they weren't in Keith’s apartment. Not even Lance’s apartment was safe as they would try to be alone in his bedroom and everyone would start visiting them. It seemed their friends all agreed that Keith’s place was their personal  _ boogie _ room - even though they hadn't done anything like that just yet. 

Keith wondered what would be the best attire for the day’s events and tried thinking about things Lance would have planned. Unsure, he set up several outfits - one for sightseeing, one for the beach, and one for a nice dinner. 

He went ahead and got ready, still trying to figure out which one seemed best. Only at the last minute did he decide to put on his “Bigfoot Is The Missing Link” shirt with his draped black opened face sweater vest and black jeans. He pulled his bangs back with a headband and put on a pair of converse shoes.

Then, he waited. 

It felt weird to wait. This wasn't something he was used to. At home, Lance lived across the hall and there was never a wait, now he just didn't know when he would arrive and Keith wasn't able to text Lance for an approximate arrival time.

Then, he heard a knock on the door. He couldn't understand the odd sensation of sudden nervousness. He had been with Lance a solid three months and before that, they had done enough to consider that time into their relationship, but this felt different. He adjusted his vest and sighed in relief when he saw Lance standing in front of him in a sightseeing outfit - a very attractive sightseeing outfit.

“Hey babe,” said Lance with his cocky smile. Keith couldn't help but admire the view. Lance wore a dark wash pair of jean shorts with his slick white sneakers and blue striped shirt and tight vest. Lance held his hand out to Keith, “Hope you planned something nice to change into for later. Dinner plans are a little on the fancier side.”

“Yeah,” Keith blushed, “I did.”

“I trained you well.” They laughed as Keith took his hand.

Walking hand and hand, they started to leave the hotel, “Where are you taking me?”

“We’re going on a hike. The hotel has a nature walk and at the end, they said there is a small hometown restaurant that the locals eat at all the time. From there, we hike back and prepare for dinner. They said the trail can take a long time if you make all the stops.”

“Okay, that sounds like fun.”

They entered the elevator, but Lance started to furiously push the button when he heard someone call his name. It was too late, Ricardo entered the elevator with a few of his cousin.

“Hey! You guys look like you're going somewhere.”

“We are going to  _ none of your business! _ ” replied Lance.

“Cool. Can we join?” asked Ricardo.

“No! Today is my one day this week to spend sometime alone with my boyfriend. Or maybe should I call  _ Mamí  _ and tell her about all the times you got drunk this week.”

The elevator door opened and Ricardo grabbed the hands of his cousins, “You guys have fun!” he darted away without another word.

They started to make their way through the lobby when Lance froze again. Miguel ran to them, “Hey guys. Thanks again for last night. Wanted to give my gratitude by getting you guys a few drinks tonight.”

“Thanks, but we have plans. I'm taking Keith out to dinner tonight,  _ alone.” _

“Got ya! Nice night out. Than, you won't see me again until tomorrow. Have fun.” He left and Lance kept trying to leave the hotel.

“Lance!” yelled Natalie, but all it did was force Lance into a faster pace, dragging Keith behind him.

He only stopped when he heard the next voice.  _ “Lance Michael McClain, dejas de moverte en este momento. _ ”

Lance cursed as he turned to face his mother. Before she could fully approached, Keith chuckled, “Michael?”

“It's my middle name. Don't ever call me that.”

Melly and Natalie stopped right in front of Lance and Keith. 

“ _ Que?”  _ asked Lance. 

_ “Necesito que me ayudes con algunas de las bodas.” _

_ “¡No! Hice planes para Keith y para mí hoy. Mami, lo llevaré a una dia romántica.” _

Natalie awed and looked at Keith with googly eyes. Keith stood confused.

_ “Necesito que me ayudes. Alguien necesita ayudar con las flores y los argumentos del alimento Natalie y yo nos ocuparemos de las decoraciones y de la ceremonia.” _

_ “Mami!  _ Please!” Lance begged. 

Natalie broke the tension between them,  _ “Mami, deja a Lance a su novio. Estaban cuidando a Ginny anoche para que Trish y Miguel pudieran tener un tiempo juntos. Dejemos a Lance por hoy. Estoy seguro de que Miguel te ayudará e incluso Trish.” _

Melly sighed and looked to Keith. “He’s lucky I like you so much.” 

Keith raised an eyebrow even more confused. Melly kissed Lance on the cheek and started back to the other direction, searching for Miguel. 

“You two have a good time. Don’t let anyone stop you,” said Natalie with a smile as she left behind her mother. 

Lance rolled his eyes and immediately took Keith away, trying to make sure no one else stopped him. After a few dodges from some cousins, Lance finally reached the entrance to the trail where they could get a map and some general information. 

He took care of speaking to the assistant, even though the person attempted to speak English in order to be courteous to Keith, but Lance insisted speaking Spanish, almost being too quiet about what they were discussing. 

Taking a map, Lance led Keith to the beginning of the train and handed Keith a compass for assistance. At first, the two enjoyed the fresh breeze of the air against their skin, knowing the beach shore was not far from their trail. Still, the bright green trees with illuminating purples, pinks, reds, and blues from the surrounding flowers only made the path more enjoyable and refreshing. Lance and Keith kept to the dirt path laid out by years of travelers making the same hike. 

They became one with nature. 

“There is a river nearby,” said Lance, “let’s find it.” 

Keith assisted with reading the map and using the compass. Neither boys knew exactly what they were doing, but they worked together to eventually find the long and wide river within the middle of the path. 

“Map says there is a bridge further north we can use to cross,” said Keith looking at the map. He grabbed Lance’s hand as they causally enjoyed their hike to the bridge. The chirping sounds of the exotic birds, the fish swimming along the clear water, and the random insects and lizards that kept crossing their path only made them appreciate the solitude they finally found. 

They both enjoyed spending time with Lance’s family, but finally being alone made it feel as if no one else mattered. 

Their hike became a stroll when they noticed the bridge up ahead. Holding each other close, Keith wanted to know more about the day’s adventures, “I assume this is what you planned as part of our day together.” 

“I had to figure out a way for us to do something alone. If not, this whole trip would have been wasted with only family time.” 

“I love your family.” 

“Yeah, but a whole week with you in a foreign country. I can’t go back to Tampa with at least stealing some time for just the two of us.” Lance kissed Keith on the cheek, “tell me more about your  _ band, _ for which I am still a little peeved you didn’t tell me about.” 

“I thought I did,” cried Keith in defense with a laugh, “The boys and I started a band in eighth grade. We weren’t that great until mid-freshman year when we performed at our high school talent show. We were a cover band, doing any rock song that was popular and well known. We weren’t creative enough to write our own music, but we would change the songs up a bit to fit our style.”

“That’s pretty cool. I wish I could have seen you on stage with them.”

“Next time you come with me to Orlando, I’ll show you some of our pictures. We were, I guess you could say,  _ famous _ by the time we were sophomores. We played all the school events and even did some gigs at local teen spots.”

“You were lead vocals?” 

“And guitar. Garth was also guitar and vocals. Depending on the song, we would switch roles. I did more alternative or punk rock while he sang heavy metal. Matt was bass and violin and Barry was drums. Sometimes I would pull out the keyboard. It all depended on what we were playing.” 

“That’s pretty cool. I bet you had all the ladies wanting you.” 

“Too bad for them if they did. I knew I was gay since middle school. Although I didn’t ever really come out until high school. How about you? You never told me how you figured it out.”

“Well, I figured it out freshmen year, but I didn’t come out until I was caught making out with a guy in the locker rooms at school. Hunk was the first to know, but my principal did me a solid and didn't tell my parents what I had done. I ended up coming out during my grandmother’s birthday to the whole family. I was a nervous wreck.” 

Keith started laughing, “I can only imagine their faces.” 

“It was like blank stares and  _ who gives a shit _ looks. I was nervous for no reason.” 

“Well, it’s good they accepted you. Not everyone is so lucky. I’m lucky my parents were cool about it to. They said as long as I’m with someone who is worthy is what matters.” 

“Am I worthy?” Lance looked away as he awaited for an answer.

“Is Thor worthy of his hammer?” Keith leaned and kissed Lance on the cheek. 

They reached the bridge and notice a large waterfall from a distance. Stopping at the middle of the bridge, they leaned against the railing to enjoy the view. “Tell me about your dancing days.”

Lance rolled his eyes and sighed, “I had a feeling you were going to ask that.” He took a deep breath and pulled Keith closer by the hip. “I started dancing as a kid cause Natalie dragged me with her. At first, I felt like such a dork being the only boy in class, but then, when we started latin dances, I really got into it. I loved salsa dancing, tango, and paso doble. Then, in my early teens, I really got into the rumba. Natalie was my partner for years and we would do competitions around the nation and would always make top five in our age group, but eventually she wanted to be in only ballet and acting. So, I had to find a new partner…” 

Keith could see Lance’s face start to droop. His eyes had been reflecting the beauty of the waterfall, until he started to think of what to say next. Keith turned to face Lance and pulled him into his arms. 

“Rebecca Johnson. She was recommended to my parents and me based on my ranking with the dancing world. We started dancing together and we meshed really well as dancers, but then after our first competition, she turned on me and so did our coach. I guess they wanted more. Fourth place wasn’t enough. It had always been fine with Natalie and my previous couch, but now with Becka, all I was was inadequate. She kept hounding me, pushing me to limits I didn’t even want to reach. She changed dancing from fun to a chore and finally, I started to hate dancing.” Lance leaned his head closer to Keith, looking for some comfort, “I kept going at it for far longer than I should have, but my parents noticed that I was getting depressed and when I finally told them why, they said I could leave if it was making me so unhappy. But that was the problem. I loved dancing, I just didn’t want to be in that world anymore. My last year, Becka and I made it to worlds and earned second place…” 

“What? Holy shit, that’s impressive.” 

“Yeah, and I hated every second of it, so right afterward, I quit and never looked back. I kept up with dancing causally with Natalie at home, but I never want to see a competitive dance arena ever again.” 

“I assume you don’t watch Dancing with the Stars, then?” 

“Nope. I can’t. It just brings back how much I hated myself back then. They made me feel like I wasn’t worth anything and that no matter how hard I tried, I was nothing. It took me years to get over that self-doubt and even now I still deal with it. If I had let it take over me, I doubt you would be here right now.” 

“What do you mean by that?” 

“The person I truly was in high school was not the person everyone sees. I could barely look at a mirror without wanting to cry. I used to despise everything about myself and could never love myself. It got so bad, that at one point I wasn’t even sure I was bi or if I was just lying to myself to find another excuse to hide who I am.”

“What made you better? I mean, you don’t seem that way anymore.” 

“I still am, sometimes. There are still parts of me I have to learn to love, but my siblings were the ones that really helped me get through it. They were the ones who always had my back. Its one of the many reasons we are so close.” Lance started to laugh loudly, unable to  control his own volume. 

“What’s so funny?” asked Keith. 

“I remember what happened my freshman year of high school. Becka was in my school and she was trying to get me back to compete with her, but I kept refusing. Then, she started spreading rumors about me and Hunk. When Natalie heard about them, she punch Becka in the face in the middle of lunch. She was suspended for several days, but even my parents didn’t punish her, knowing fully well why she had done it.” 

“You guys are really close?” 

“I haven’t met siblings closer than us.” He gleamed, proud of himself and his family for all they have done for each other. 

Keith placed his hand on Lance’s cheek, “You still never told me how it affects us.” 

Lance smiled, “If I still lacked the confidence of back then, I would have never asked you out or even suggested the whole wingman thing. I doubted myself a lot while we were  _ wingmanning _ and I wasn’t sure if you were actually interested in me. To a degree, I almost convinced myself you could never like me in that way.”

“As I’ve said before, we were both idiots. Luckily, both of us finally figured it out.” 

“Yeah, finally,” Lance leaned in and kissed Keith, enjoying the taste of his sweat and the scent of the fresh trees and waterfall. 

When they parted, they continued on their path after Keith took out his phone and took a selfie of them in front of the waterfall. After another mile, the boys reached the small stand serving freshly fried  _ arepas con huevos.  _ Lance ordered them some before they sat and enjoyed the quick meal. Comforted by the heat of the sun and the sound of the forest they hiked, they ate in peace, leaned against each other, laughing and talking of happier memories and stories of their childhood before beginning the hike back to the hotel. 

#

“I’m not going to be able to handle seeing you in that suit on Saturday,” said Lance as he held Keith’s hand, making their way towards the lobby of the hotel. 

“Why do you say that?” he asked. 

“You look so good the way you are dressed now, the only thing that could possible beat it is you in a suit!” 

Keith looked down at his wear; a pair of tight fitted black slacks, a white button down, sleeves rolled up, tucked in with a leather health around his hips, and a skinny black tie around his neck. His hair slicked back allowing his iris eyes to showcase his awkward stance - he didn't know how to handle Lance’s compliment.

“You're the one that looks good,” Keith replied.

He loved Lance’s outfit; brown slacks with a cobalt blue button down with a brown vest. He playfully had a textured black bow tie with hints of blue strips. 

“I know,” joked Lance, trying to hide his blush. 

“Where are you taking me,” chuckled Keith.

“Dinner. Come on.” Lance led Keith towards the back of the hotel. The sun gone, only the bright stars lit up the sky with the new moon. Keith smirked once he realized where Lance had taken him - the restaurant placed within a patio overlooking the ocean and the horizon of the hotel’s sights. There was a calm sense of bliss, nothing but the sweet music from the guitar and banjo band at the back of the patio, tables set with candles and whispers between all who were enjoying the company they brought.

“I said I was going to spoil you,” said Lance. Keith wrapped his arm around Lance’s waist in gratitude as they walked up to the hostess and were eventually seated.

They immediately looked out at the view, seated near the edge with only the ocean and sand standing between them and the night sky.

The simplicity of the white tablecloth, single lit candle, and blank plates with silverware welcomed them to the evening. Their waiter came, handing them menus and speaking perfect English with a slight Colombian accent. Keith felt relief when he realized the menu was written in English and Spanish, but it only solidified his want to learn Spanish - soon.

The waiter poured each of them a glass of red wine and gave them some time to look over the menu. 

Keith couldn't help but look up from his menu. The candlelight flickered against Lance’s deep skin and illuminate his eyes. He glowed, his smile radiating with the stars and his hair lightly moved with the ocean breeze. 

He forgot to breath, drowning in the beauty of the man sitting in front of him - the man who claimed him. 

“Hey, you know what you're gonna get? I was thinking maybe we could share plates and just eat a little of everything,” said Lance. His voice broke Keith’s lost gaze.

He a squeak and clarity of his throat, “Yeah - um, yeah, that works well.”

“Is everything okay?” Lance said as he noticed the look of Keith’s face and the redness of his cheek.

“I, um,” Keith was unsure what to say, but he figured honesty was the best, “I just can't seem to look away.”

“From?”

“You. I - I really appreciate this.” Keith’s throat hiccuped, finding the courage to say his next set of words, “I really appreciate you.”

Lance nearly dropped the menu from his hand. A gasp for air and a rush of heat took over him as he saw the bashful nature of his boyfriend against the candlelight. “I - I really appreciate you too… Keith, is it okay to say that I never expected anything like this. To feel so… so…”

“Confused yet confident in your decision to be in this relationship?”

“Yeah. That.”

Keith smiled. He reached his hand out to grab Lance’s hand, “Shiro said that's how it should feel.”

“Well, if that's what he said.”

They each tilted their heads to look at each other and simply sit in the comfortable silence between the two until the waiter arrived to take their order.

Lance lifted his glass of wine and held it up to Keith, “To Colombia.”

Keith lifted his glass, “To Colombia.”

They tapped their glasses and began talking about anything and everything. Keith bragged about his inventory from the last raid of Destiny and how much he was looking forward to starting Final Fantasy XV after Barry had told him how amazing the game had been. Lance spoke about his plans with Hunk once they were back in Tampa to fix up the apartment and put some more life into their bland decor.

The food arrived and they enjoyed more wine with the array of food in front of them to eat and share. At times, Lance would try something new and hold a piece up for Keith to eat out of his hand. Keith would tease, taking the meal directly with his mouth and moving his tongue against the tip of Lance’s fingers.

Lance would wince, but once Keith did the same to Lance, Lance proceeded to tease along with his tongue and watch for Keith’s blushful reaction.

“There is something that has always bothered me,” said Lance as he pulled his fingers away from Keith’s tongue. 

“What?” 

“Pidge. You said she got drunk once and that you swore to never tell the story. Can I please be an exception? It's always been bothering me.”

Keith laughed, sipping his wine, “She’d kill me if I told you, but…” he reached into his pocket and removed his phone. After flipping through a few apps, he handed it to Lance, “she never said I couldn't show it to you. Press play.”

In seconds, Lance was watching a video of Pidge, using a blanket as a dress around her bust as she sang a horrible rendition of “Let It Go” from Frozen, “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” from Cinderella, and the phrase “I'm a pretty pretty princess” again and again. Lance could hear Keith laughing in the background as the camera shook from his inability to control his hands.

“Oh - my - God! What is this?” Lance lost himself in laughter.

“I know. She had wanted to try one of my ciders but then she kept going for more and more cause  _ they tasted like juice _ . After our raid, she just lost it. And that happened.”

“I can't believe this is Pidge! No wonder she doesn't want anyone to know.”

“Which is why I keep that video in my secret safe app hidden under a folder labeled porn. There is no porn in it, I just know she wouldn't dare look into it even if she hacked my phone.”

Lance laughed and cheered Keith for his genius, “I may need a copy of this.”

“I'll set it up for you once we are home.” They continued to laugh and eventually enjoyed a sweet chocolate cake and some champagne to end the dinner. 

Walking out hand in hand, they started to make their way to their room, but Lance stopped and pulled Keith the opposite direction. Running through the sand, Lance started to remove his shoes.

“What are you doing?” asked Keith.

“Some night time swimming,” he pulled Keith’s tie and gave him a long and luscious kiss, “join me.”

Keith quickly removed his shoes and tie as Lance tossed his vest to the ground and jumped into the water. Frigid and cold, Lance couldn't care. He loved swimming, especially at night. Watching Keith dip in slowly only made him growl. He swam over and pulled Keith in, holding him close in his arms. Emerging from underneath the waves, Keith kept his arms around Lance’s shoulder and chest close.

His black hair dripped around his face, framing his details and making him irresistible to Lance. They kissed, feet firmly in the sand as the water reached to the height of their shoulders. The mixture of salt water, the wine, and their natural taste made it all the more luxurious. It was the perfect way to end their night - at least the part outside of the room.

“I think we’ve waited long enough,” whispered Lance, the heat of his passion going against the cold of the water.

“I brought something with me.”

“Oh?”

“It was a gift from Shiro.”

“Seriously?”

Keith giggled and leaned his forehead against Lance’s, “He was trying to be a good brother but instead it came out as a lecture.”

“A - sex - lecture?”

“Yeah…”

Lance laughed loudly. Keith had to pull his head back to get him refocused, “Lance, I want to go there with you. I feel it's the only thing we’re holding back.”

“It's our last secret?”

“Yeah.”

“I couldn't agree more. I've waited enough. Let’s go.” They kissed again and waited in the water for a bit, wrapped in each other’s arms before finally walking out, dripping wet, holding their shoes and removed clothing from the sand.

Their pace was rapid - a mix of the cold air touching their wet clothing, but also the anticipation of wanting to get to the room.

To their surprise, someone was waiting for them outside their door. 

Sitting in the floor, crying into her hands, was Natalie. Lance immediate ran to her side, “Oh my god, is everything okay?”

“Yeah… are you wet?”

“Natalie, what is going on?”

“I was wondering if you guys would come over to my room and sleep with me tonight?”

“Why?”

“It's the first night Markus and I aren't sleeping together and I got all emotional over it. I want to sleep with my siblings.”

Lance sighed, relieved it wasn't something more serious, but frustrated that, yet again, he would lose a night of possible passion with Keith.

He turned to look at Keith for a response. Keith walked over and opened the room door, “Come on in. We’ll dry up and go with you.”

Lance smiled and nonverbally thanked Keith for his understanding and patience. They entered and Natalie waited for the boys while sitting on the bed.

Both of them entered the bathroom and started to change. For a second, they both realized they needed to completely remove their clothes as they had entered the room together.

They blushed, but turned their backs to each other to remove their clothes and dry off. As Keith had his towel over her head, rustling it to dry his hair, he thought about turning around to see Lance, wanting to just end the awkwardness. Instead, he felt a hand turn him over and Lance dipped his head underneath the towel and kissed Keith. They both took a step forward and allowed their naked bodies to completely press against each other. 

Covered by the shadow of the towel, they pulled back and looked to each other. “We’ll figure this out,” whispered Lance.

“Yeah. We will.”

They kissed again, but stopped before it was too long. Both stepped back and carefully looked to the other. In unison they smiled, joyful of the sight before them. Blushing, they forced their gazes away in order to get dressed and get back to Natalie.

In little time, they followed Natalie to her honeymoon suite where Armando, Ricardo, Miguel, Trish, and Ginny waited. Once inside, they all immediately surrounded Natalie, trying to make her feel better by telling stories of their childhood days or jokes from anything that came to mind. 

Eventually, Natalie fell asleep, resting her head in Ricardo’s shoulder while Armando slept on her lap. They all got comfortable, but Lance and Keith were the last to sleep.

“This is what I want,” said Keith.

“Huh?”

“This feeling. I want this forever. Knowing and understanding this kind of bond, this closeness.”

“Do you feel it now?”

“Yes. I feel it from my family and now yours, but I want them to collide and become one big unite,” he chuckled resting his head on Lance’s chest as he cuddled him on the large bedding they made on the floor, “I feel it's possible thanks to you.”

Lance kissed Keith, “Good, cause I can feel that because of you.”

They hummed happily, reminiscent of their day together, in the peace of each other’s arms before going to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW~ Another tease, but its coming. Chapter 20 is two chapters away (guys its so smut fluffy!) I love this date and seeing them be so comfortable with each other. By far, the best part of writing this relationship.
> 
> Also, Pidge. I love her and I love her drunk story <3 <3 <3   
>    
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WEDDING!
> 
> Confession time. This is the headcanon that started the whole idea for the fanfic. This is the chapter I have been nervous about since the beginning. So, here are a few things you may need:
> 
> Lady Gaga - [Million Reasons](https://youtu.be/en2D_5TzXCA)  
> Carlos Vives - [La Tierra del Olvido](https://youtu.be/8jtfXHadYIE)
> 
> Also, here is present: 
> 
> [McClain/Hererra Wedding Playlist](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/158546637530/nowplaying-mcclainherrera-wedding-the-ultimate)
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter *so excited*

“Hunk!” screamed Lance from across the lobby dressed in a purple button down with a black tie and black pants, matching all his brothers. 

“Lance!” screamed back Hunk wearing a yellow button down and tan bow tie. They ran to each other, pretending to cry and leaving Keith behind to laugh in shame of their behavior along with the McClain brothers.

“Buddy, I've missed you!” said Hunk.

“It's been so different without you.”

Keith brushed his fingers through his hair after fixing the tie of his shirt. They waited for Hunk and Lance to finish their moment before making their way to the dining hall for the wedding rehearsal dinner.

“Keith, how has Colombia been?” asked Hunk, after giving Lance an elbow bump. Lance replied with a head shake, rolling of the eyes, and a look of annoyance. Hunk didn’t need more of a response. 

“Fun. You were right about the family being entertaining.”

“You spoke to Keith about my family?” asked Lance. 

“I had to. Sorry, bro, but you suck at preparing people to meet them. Even for people like me who do have a decent extended family isn’t prepared to deal with what happens with your family,” Hunk laughed. 

Lance huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, only to be surprised with a kiss to the cheek. “Calm down. Its nothing to be offended by,” said Keith. 

They entered the same dining hall from the first day, but the whole restaurant had been closed off for the wedding rehearsal. Surrounding the walls were pictures of Natalie and Markus over the years. Lance went directly to an image of them in high school, laughing at Natalie’s hippy style and Markus’s punk rock phase. 

Set up in the center of the room was the long u-shaped seated area, but there were scattered standing tables throughout and waiters serving appetizers and wine on trays rotating around the room. It invited everyone to mingle and walk around, leaving the sitting for later in the evening. To the back of the room, there was a piano and a player tickling the keys to a soft song perfect for muttering in the background of the room.

“How’s Voltron doing?” asked Ricardo.

“Great! We leave for Chicago in a week and we added a whole bunch of new features. We’ve been mainly practicing our repair time as that’s what faulted us last time. Oh! The Garrison is super proud of our accomplishments, that they are holding a live screening of the events at the theater. Pidge got you guys VIP tickets. She said we can get some for my bros if they can come,” he grabbed Ricardo by the shoulder. 

“Sweet! I’ll ask my parents if they can drive us to Tampa that day. Armando is not gonna wanna miss out on that!” 

“That’s pretty exciting,” said Keith, “I’m sure Pidge is a nervous wreck.” 

“Had I not seen her down a whole bottle of beer the other day, I wouldn’t have seen it.” 

“She did what?” Keith stepped back in shock, “man, I’m gonna have to spend most of my time with her once we are back.” 

With a sudden roar from the crowd, Markus and Natalie stepped into the room with their arms linked together. Natalie couldn’t stop beaming, holding Markus close and not bothering to look at anyone but him. 

They started to make their rounds around the room as the rest kept enjoying the room, food, and drinks.

With a clink of a fork against a wine glass, everyone started to make their way to their seats. Lance started to fumble around with a paper he took out of his pocket. Keith placed his hand on his leg, trying to comfort his nerves about giving a speech to the family. 

With a quick announcement from his parents, Lance stood up and held up a glass of champagne. He cleared his throat and looked to Keith for some support. With a grin and a hold of his hand, Keith raised his glass and nodded.

“ _ Bienvenidos todos a la boda de mi hermana y mi nuevo hermano.  _ Welcome everyone to the wedding of my sister and to my new brother. Today, the day before their wedding, we gather together to wish them luck and joy in the journey they are about to embark. Now, as all of you know Natalie is the only girl in our large family of boys and, until Trish and Ginny came along, she had to deal with massive amounts of testosterone and man funk. Needless to say, she wasn't like your typical girl. When we were young she never dreamed of her wedding day or of the perfect man. Instead, her eyes were focused on the silver screen and the Broadway stage, wanting and working hard to reach her goals. Her mind would float in the clouds of glitter and song, wanting life to be a musical and forcing her brothers to act it out time and time again,” Lance made a fake groaning noise, cueing the laughter of the knowledge everyone had of her forced performances of her siblings, “still, she dated and lived her regular and boring teen years, until her junior year of high school. One night, she came crawling into my bed, bags under her eyes, and tears flowing down her cheeks. She had been crying, feeling guilty about something no one seemed to know about. As most of you know, when Markus began to pursue my sister, she had actually been dating someone else. That night, she had gone to a party with her friends and came home with the guilt of having fallen for his flirtatious ways. She committed a taboo of the heart and hated herself for it. It wasn't the ideal way for them to get together, but that night, her and I sitting on my bed, we realized the only reason she did something she would have never done before was because Markus wasn't like anyone she had met before. He was different. From there, my sister did the right thing and ended her relationship with the other guy to rightfully give Markus a chance. Now, we are all sitting here knowing that her biggest mistake in life, ended up being her soulmate.” Lance turned his gaze directly to Markus, “I knew you were the one when you sat in our living room and watched Natalie force us to perform a rendition of “You Can't Stop the Beat” before her big audition at her high school play. The way you looked at her said everything I needed to know about how you loved my sister. There is no one better matched for her. You've supported her, respected her, and allowed her to keep her head in those glittery clouds. You enhanced her life in ways none of us could and you are the most insane human being in the world for keeping her close and popping a ring on it. Never allow her to give up on her dream and keep driving that cloud of hope together.  _ Bendiciones!”  _ Everyone raised their glass and cheered as Natalie took a napkin and wiped away her tears. She bolted out of her seat and wrapped her arms around Lance, weeping joyfully in his shoulder.

“Thank you, Lance,” she whispered.

He smiled, letting go of Keith’s supportive hand to hug her back, “No, thank you Natalie. I’ll never admit it again, but I know the reason I can be so happy with Keith is cause of everything you taught me about letting myself go and just finding me.”

She responded with another wail of tears and a tighter squeeze of her arms. “It helps you finally picked a good one.” They both chuckled before she released her grip and returned to her seat. 

Lance sat beside Keith and turned to give him a quick kiss. “Good?”

Keith smiled, “Perfect.”

They enjoyed the elegant meal of traditional Colombian and Cuban foods. Lance kept giving Keith lessons on the differences in flavor and their culture, Hunk jumping in whenever he knew an answer from all his years of being a part of their family. They joked around about their middle school days causing Keith to simply smile and enjoy the bander between the two best friends.

Then, Natalie suddenly stepped into their conversation, “Keith! Tell my parents that you can sing! They refuse to believe me when I told them.”

“You can sing?” asked Hunk.

Keith blushed and jittered a response, “Yeah. I used to be in a cover band in high school.”

“Oh, man, he’s so good!” added Ricardo.

“You should see him play the piano and guitar,” said Lance.

“You play too?” asked Henry, “you sound pretty talented.”

“I dabble,” replied Keith.

“Lies! He more than dabbles. He has a secret talent where he can play almost any song with only ten minutes of studying the sheet music,” said Lance, proud of Keith’s musical talents.

“No way! Can you do it with pop music with playing and singing?” asked Natalie.

“I - um, yeah. I can.”

“Oh! Please do it!”

“Like, right now?”

“Yes! Please! I'm sure the pianist will allow it if we ask! Oh! Do “Million Reasons” by Lady Gaga! That's my current obsessed song,” requested Natalie.

“I can't…”

“It's a request from the bride! You wouldn't deny my request.”

“She really knows how to guilt trip people,” commented Markus.

“I'll do harmony if you want,” she continued.

“I'll need the sheet music…”

“On it,” said Ricardo as he stood from his seat and disappeared.

Natalie squealed from excitement as Keith realized what was about to happen. His eyes lingered to the remainder of the room and nerves started to completely take over him - he was about to play for Lance’s whole family. 

As dessert came to the table, Ricardo returned the dining hall with a tablet connected to the private wifi of the hotel. Keith nervously looked for sheet music, leg bouncing up and down even after Lance placed his hand there to help sooth him. 

“You really don’t have to,” whispered Lance.

“No… I want to. At this point I’m focused on doing it.” Natalie went to speak with the pianist and invited Keith to come up when he was ready.  Keith sat on the piano bench and played around with the keys, getting the feel for the piano and then practicing the notes without pushing down on the keys. He turned the mic on a stand away from him as he attempted to practice some of the verbal notes. Natalie assisted him as they practiced their harmony. 

As promised, he was ready in ten minutes. 

Natalie invited the family over to the stage to watch and enjoy. Keith kept his fingers hovered over the keys as he tried to find a steady breath and his eyes away from the audience. Then, from a corner, he saw Lance and everything changed. 

Lance grinned at Keith, calm and gentle, wishing Keith all the luck without speaking a word. He had complete faith in Keith’s abilities and knew the performance would be amazing to watch. He lacked any nervousness about the opinions of his family, knowing that they didn’t matter - even though he also knew Keith would not fail. 

Natalie sat beside Keith and adjusted the mic for them to use. She allowed Keith to begin when he was ready and, with one final deep breath, he began to play the song. 

He heard a gasp with the first few notes, captivating some already. Once he sang, the room hushed. 

“ _ You're giving me a million reasons to let you go, You're giving me a million reasons to quit the show, You're givin' me a million reasons, Give me a million reasons, Givin' me a million reasons, About a million reasons… _ ” 

Natalie blended perfectly with Keith’s voice, harmonizing and enhancing his voice to make the song complete. His playing on the piano, flawless as if he had been playing the song for years. Keith kept his eyes focused on the sheet music from the tablet, but once he hit the chorus, he lost himself to its painful and yearning lyrics, becoming the musician he knew to be deep down inside.

“ _ I bow down to pray, I try to make the worst seem better, Lord, show me the way, To cut through all his worn out leather, I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away, But baby, I just need one good one to stay. _ ” 

He had everyone in the room falling for his deep and luscious voice. They were his minions, falling for his voice along with the perfectly played tunes of his fingers along the piano. Natalie enriched herself with his performance, allowing him to be the focus and only keeping back to improve his own rhythm and beat. With a glance to the corner of her eyes, she noticed Lance, lost in the presences of Keith’s playing. 

She knew.

Just as Lance had mentioned in his speech. This was the moment she would remember that Lance and Keith weren’t two separate entities, but one cohesive pair of perfectly blended opposites that needed each other to become whole. 

She gleamed as Keith pulled his head back to intensify the change in the song. They sang together; the passion oozing out from both as Keith’s perfect pitch hit every note. 

“ _ Baby I'm bleedin', bleedin', Stay, Can't you give me what I'm needin', needin', Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith… _ ” 

Lance lost himself to Keith, again. It was just like the night at karaoke or the nights Keith would play the piano for him. They were alone - lost in a paradise of the music and emotions of the moment. It glowed, the simplicity of the lyrics with the complications of its pain. It brought something to the front of Lance’s mind and he hadn’t been prepared to reflect on it so quickly. 

He remembered the night before. The pounding of his chest when he hiked along the Colombian forest with Keith holding his hand. The perfection of the conversation at the waterfall, allowing his own heart to pour out like the water, yet freeze at the beauty of Keith’s eyes and his open ears and heart. The comfortableness of the dinner, yet nervousness and yearning for it to never end. 

His immense emotions of passion, drive, want, desire, and longing when they held each other within the ocean water. 

All of it came back, memories of their time together. With a jolt, his first memory with Keith appeared. He didn’t understand it. Maybe it was because Keith was singing Lady Gaga and the first time they danced  - kissed - was also to her song, but Lance’s mind went back to the rawness of Keith’s kiss, the tuck of their hips syncing together, and the thoughts of confusion at what it all meant. 

He felt it now. The same jolt of pure emotions and the timeline of events that led to here; him standing, surrounded by his family as they all watched Keith - his boyfriend - play a song beside his sister. 

He lost his breath as the song reached its end. His heart pounding against his chest as, for the first time during the performance, Keith’s eyes captured his gaze. 

Alone - lost in each other’s stare - Keith finished the end of the song. 

“ _ I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away, But baby, I just need one good one, good one, Tell me that you'll be the good one, good one, Baby, I just need one good one to stay. _ ” 

With a gasp and a shaking hand, Lance realized why his mind and heart seemed to sing along with Keith. The original message, lost in translation, but as his family cheered and clapped for Keith, begging for more, Lance realized what it all meant. He thought to himself, losing the ability to control the beating of his heart, the tempo of his breath, and the thoughts in his mind. 

_ “I love him…”  _

#

Keith and Hunk kept quiet, next to each other on the loveseat inside the honeymoon suite, waiting to be told what to do. Both kept completely quiet, observing the chaos unfolding before them.

Lance had given them some advice: One; be dressed and ready as soon as possible. The last thing you would want is to get a loud and long lecture of why you aren't dressed on time even though there will likely be several hours before everything gets started. Two; don't go far. If Melly had to go hunting for you when she needed you, hell would be paid. Three; find a central location in the room so you have eyes at all times on what is going on and to be easily located. Four; just stay out of the way and keep quiet. Don't argue. Don't hesitate. Just wait for orders like a loyal solider.

Keith had laughed off the advice, believing Lance was likely over exaggerating, but sitting in the room, watching Melly shout random spurts of Spanish as Martha tried to keep her calm with a mimosa while the brothers kept running around following orders while trying to get dressed and Henry standing near the bathroom entrance giving words of encouragement to a locked in Natalie - Keith felt he had entered a different dimension.

“This is normal?” asked Keith.

“Every time,” replied Hunk.

“ _ ¡Coño Miguel donde están las flores!” _

_ “ _ Flowers? Be right back.” Miguel left the room. He passed Trish and Ginny. 

“¿Q _ ué pasó aquí? ¿Por qué no está lista?” _

“Is her dress here?” Trish’s voice was shaking her makeup half done as she scrabbled to help Ginny get ready, who was still wearing her pajamas. 

“ _ Mamí,  _ photographer is here!” yelled Ricardo.

Martha dashed to take care of it as Melly attempted to throw everything out of the room to find Ginny’s flower girl dress.

“Found it!” shouted Armando as he emerged from the closet holding Ginny’s dress. 

Before long, Lance burst out of the bathroom, “She’s ready to get dressed!” The room hushed as everyone froze in place before Melly threw Ginny’s dress in the air, Trish catching it, as she ran to the bathroom commanding the photographer follow her and all the women.

The door to the bathroom slammed after Trish leaped in with Ginny and her dress. Then, a hush between the men. Lance sighed, knowing they had sometime to rest before they were to emerge from the room once again. His tie crooked and his vest unbuttoned, Lance was a perfect representation of what Keith had witnessed for the last few hours. 

Keith stood up and approached Lance. He adjusted Lance’s tie and started to assist with his appearance. Lance blushed, a nervous smile on his face from his boyfriend’s random gesture of caregiving. “You don’t have to do that,” he said. 

“I haven’t been ordered to do a damn thing yet,” replied Keith, “allow me to do this one thing.”

Lance could swear Keith could see the beating of his heart. Since the previous night, Lance had become unable to be alone with Keith, unsure of what he had recently realized. He knew, for certain, some facts: He loved Keith and he wanted to shout it from the top of the mountains, but he wasn’t sure how to say it. 

He wanted to say it, but the how became more and more the issue. 

Keith dusted the shoulder of Lance’s shirt and finished adjusting the collar, “There. You look really good.” He blushed, unable to look at Lance directly. 

“Yeah,” Lance blushed, staring directly at Keith; taking in the beauty of him in a perfectly fitted black suit with dark red shirt and his hair pulled back to a low ponytail, “you look sexy too,” 

Keith smacked his hand playfully on Lance’s shoulder before Lance took him into a giant hug and then joined Hunk on the couch. They waited for, what felt like hours, for the bathroom door to finally open. Eventually Miguel returned with the knowledge of the flowers ready for the church and venue. He was just in time for the photographer to step out and ask everyone to stand around the door as Natalie was about to reveal herself and she wanted pictures of the family’s reactions. 

Henry stood right in front of the door with the brothers standing beside him on each side. Keith almost stayed back, but both Hunk and Lance pulled him in to join the lineup. 

Keith felt accepted.

The door opened and, at once, they all gasped. Henry immediately started to tear up as he watched his only daughter step out in her wedding dress. The mermaid style dress form fitted to her curves, laced from head to toe and showcasing her strong, yet elegant shoulders. Her hair in a loose bun with a floor length veil to complement the look. 

She reached her hand out to Henry, gripping onto him like a small child. She tried not to cry, but it was difficult for every member of the McClain family to hold back the tears, including sudo-adopted child Hunk. Lance immediately reached for Keith’s hand, wanting his touch as support for the overwhelming joyful emotions. Keith instead grabbed Lance by the waist and held him with a side hug. Lance responded by placing his arm around Keith and holding him close. 

After tears, pictures, last minute touch ups, they all went down stair and into the limo for the drive to the breathtaking Catholic cathedral off the beach shores. Keith took a seat beside Hunk on the bride’s side of the church and mingled with the cousins. 

Markus appeared nervous and jittery, but excited as he waited for it all to get started. When the music began to play, everyone grew silent. One by one, each pair of groomsmen and bridesmaids walked out. When Lance appeared, he gave Keith a quick wink before taking his place in the front. 

As Natalie stepped out, Markus visibly lost the ability to breath. He couldn’t believe that the wonder walking down the aisle was about to call him her husband. The moment their hands touched, there was no one else in the room but them and the priests. 

Many tears were shed, in particularly from Miguel and Lance, before the ceremony ended and everyone returned to their transportation back to the hotel for the reception. Once they all arrived, Keith and Hunk took their place at the table, mostly empty as they were to sit with the bridal and groom parties. Hunk and Keith discussed Pidge’s behavior back home. Hunk claiming that she wasn’t surviving well without Keith to bother and that she kept getting grumpier the closer Hunk got to leaving. 

The decor of the room felt like Colombia itself had transported into the room. The flowers were familiar to Keith from his hike with Lance and the smell of food and drinks were reminiscent of his week in paradise. 

The DJ announced the introductions of the bridal and groom party before Natalie and Markus. The room went wild, screaming and dancing along with them as they entered. Markus and Natalie went directly into their first dance - “I’ve Been Waiting for a Girl Like You,” from the musical Rock of Ages. 

In the middle of the song, Lance appeared behind Keith, placing his lips against his ear and singing, of tone, the song. Keith didn’t care, loving the sweet breath of his boyfriend as he sang and cuddled him from behind. They stood, cheering for the happy new couple and enjoying the hold of each other. 

Markus did a beautiful dance with his mother afterward as Natalie did a salsa with her father that eventually the whole McClain family joined in. Watching the whole family dance together forced a smile on Keith he had never felt before. It took his mind back to his own family - the memories of what they did to give him a life of joy and hope. Moments like this would have never happened had they not taken a chance with him. He secretly hoped that one day, he would do the same on the dancefloor with his parents and Shiro. 

The night started off great and Lance knew it would be a party to remember. Eating dinner, Lance kept thinking about telling Keith his feelings. Anytime he looked over to Keith, he appeared to glow and it made it all the worse with how easily he seemed to blend with his family. 

Keith fit in perfectly as a McClain and it thrilled Lance to know he was the connection. 

As the meal was finished, the DJ started to play music. Before Lance could even finish the last bite of his food, one of his cousins grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the dance floor. Keith turned to make a comment to Ricardo, but he noticed that he too was dragged away. Hunk laughed, “Be careful. They might catch you too. When mom McClain asks you to dance. You can’t deny her.” 

Keith raised an eyebrow and before responding, Hunk was pulled into the dance floor. He quickly realized that there was no stopping any of them from dancing. He removed his jacket and tie, loosening the collar of his shirt and relaxing on the chair. He watched Lance, enjoying the movement and fluidity of his hips and the way he commanded his partner on the dance floor. 

He envied his movements, wishing he knew how to dance even remotely better than he currently did. He knew enough to get away with bobbing his head but beyond that was foreign territory.  

Dancing, Lance kept trying to go back to the table. He loved shaking his body to the music, but he really wanted to spend time with Keith at the table. His plan had been to get into the conversation of the ceremony and how much being in love is wonderful.  _ “Bam!” _ he thought, “ _ perfect segway!”  _ but not one member of his family allowed him a second to return. 

For a moment, he thought he had a chance. He returned to the table to leave his jacket behind and once he seated, he kissed Keith on the cheek. “Enjoying yourself?” 

“Very much. I love watching you dance.” 

“Love? Oh - yeah? Well, then - “ But then, Natalie stepped in. 

“Come on. Our song is playing. Let’s go.” 

Lance groaned and tried to give Natalie the signal that he wanted to be alone with Keith, but she didn’t care. She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away. As she pulled him into her arms, he started to lead her, but she quickly slowed down their movement, unusually. 

“You’re catching the bouquet, right?” 

“What? No! I already told you, I am not a female and you can not make me catch it.”

“But Keith is gonna catch the garter which means you have to catch the bouquet.” 

“Okay. One, how is Keith going to catch the garter? You can’t guarantee that. Two, are you stereotyping me to be the  _ female _ in the relationship? You know that is not how this works? There is no  _ female  _ in the relationship. We are both men. Period.”

Natalie rolled her eyes, “I know that! But it’s easier to convince you to catch the bouquet.” 

“Sorry to disappoint, but no.” 

Natalie rolled her eyes. “Come on, Lance!”

“No!” 

“Fine! I’ll figure it out once we do it.”

“Good. Now can I go back to Keith now?” 

“What has got you so worked up?” 

Lance blushed, trying his hardest not to say it. “I just haven’t had anytime to be with Keith this wedding. Everyone keeps pulling me away to dance.” 

“Then, why not ask him to dance?” 

“I can’t do - oh…” His mind trailed into a thought - a brilliant thought. “Yeah. I think I will.” He twirled Natalie and then kept dancing with her until the song finished. He quickly escaped the dance floor and went straight for the DJ, requesting a song. As a different song played, Lance walked over to Keith, “Dance?” 

“What?” Keith replied flustered.

“Have the next dance with me.” 

“I can’t dance. I’ve told you this.” 

“I’ll lead you. Come on. I’ve realized if you’re not on the dancefloor, I can’t spend anytime with you here. Please?” 

Keith looked at Lance’s extended hand for a minute. He wasn’t sure, but it was true that without being on the dance floor, there was no way for Lance and him to be together during the wedding. “Fine.” 

Lance smiled as Keith took his hand, seconds before someone else attempted to steal Lance away. The current song kept playing as Lance stopped at the edge of the dancefloor. “I’ll take it easy and give you time to adjust to the beat of the song. You can trust me.” 

Keith chuckled at the way lance treated him as if they were about to do some dangerous stunt instead of just dancing, “Okay.” 

The song changed and Lance suddenly lost his ability to breath. He had to remind himself the purpose of the dance and that this idea would work - it had to work. 

Both families went wild at the beginning cords of the song, taking over the dancefloor. When Melly and Natalie looked over to see Lance dragging Keith into his arms and directing him into simple side steps, they both looked to each other and realized what it was that was happening before them. 

The song playing - “La Tierra del Olvido” by Carlos Vives - was one of Lance’s favorite songs of all time. He used to sing it everywhere he went during his teens and would not allow anyone to stop it. More so, they knew what the words meant and seeing him take Keith into his arms during this song could only mean one thing. 

They dragged the whole family onto the dancefloor, keeping close to Lance, but never disrupting. This became the moment they wanted to let their son and brother know -  _ We approve. We love the man you call yours. We want nothing more than your happiness. _

Keith followed the directions from Lance, looking down mostly to his feet, but at times looking up to the bright red blush on Lance’s face. He could tell Lance was holding back for his sake, but he appreciated his patients. 

“You got it, mothy. Keep it up.” As Lance felt Keith grasping the steps better, before the first chorus hit, he pulled Keith closer, forcing their hips together. Keith couldn’t help but gasp at the motion of Lance’s hips against him. It reminded him of their first dance, but this time Lance wasn’t holding back on his natural talents. 

The beat of the song picked up before Lance whispered into his ear, “Here we go.” 

Before Keith could respond, Lance led him into a unison spin, making sure to watch Keith’s stumbling steps. Keith couldn’t believe the control Lance had over him, making the usual clumsy nature of his dancing into something a bit more rhythmic. 

By the time the second set of lyrics played, Keith had found his steps and Lance started dancing more like his usual self. What took Keith my surprised was seeing Lance start to sing along, “ _ Como naufragan mis miedos, si navego tu mirada, como alertas mis sentidos _ _  
_ _ con tu voz enamorada, con tu sonrisa de niña, como me mueves el alma, como me quitas el sueño, como me robas la calma _ …” 

He moved closer to Keith, not wanting any space between them. He placed his hand at the base of Keith’s chin and neck, singing sweetly to him the lyrics that Keith did not understand. 

Keith’s heart skipped. Something felt different about this moment. When he tried to move his gaze away from Lance he noticed the circle surrounding - the same amount of space given to the best dancers on the dancefloor. He didn’t understand, but glancing around, he saw the McClain family dancing freely around them, singing along and seemingly encouraging Lance. 

“ _ Tu tienes la llave de mi corazón, yo te quiero, mas que a mi vida porque sin tu amor, yo me muero... _ ” 

Keith lost himself to the motion of Lance against him and the melody of the song. The lyrics slipping perfectly word for word out of Lance’s mouth as his eyes captured Keith’s with each passing syllable. 

Keith desperately wanted to know what the song meant - its words lost in translation - but as it reached its closing, Lance slowed down his movement, forcing Keith to get closer. Lance’s lips reached Keith’s ears, repeating a phrase within the song, but singing it when only the instrumental played the ending cords. 

“Yo te quiero…” 

Keith’s forgot how to breath, unaware of its meaning, but sensing the pulsing nature of his own skipping heart. Lance pulled back to give Keith a nervous and bashful smile, but he refused to remove his gaze from Keith. 

“Lance… that was -”

Lance was yanked away, yet again, from Keith into a conga line. Ricardo swooped in and pushed Keith away and back to the table. “You can thank me later for saving you.” 

“What just happened?” 

“I saved you from the conga line.” 

“Before that.”

“Lance requested a song for you guys to dance to.” 

“Wait? Requested?” 

“Do I have to do everything?” Ricardo leaned back in his seat, “It’s bothering you not knowing what they lyrics mean, huh?” 

“Little bit. Yes.” 

“I’ll be right back.” Ricardo disappeared again as Keith watched Lance be forced into the conga line behind Hunk. He appeared miserable, but no one seemed to care. Ricardo reappeared with his tablet and handed it over to Keith, “Enjoy. Leave it here when you’re done.” 

Keith took the tablet and started looking at the screen with the translated lyrics of the song. He immediately blushed.

“ _ Like the moon that illuminates, the paths in the night, like the leaves in the wind, like the sun that frightens the cold. Like the earth to the rain, like the sea that awaits the river, that's how I hope for your return, to the land of oblivion. _

_ Like a shipwreck, my fears, navigated into your gaze, the way you warn my senses, with your loving voice, with your child-like smile. Oh, how you move my soul, oh, how you leave me restless, oh, how you steal my calmness. _

_ You have the key to my heart, I love you more than my life, because without your love, I'll die. _

_ Like the moon that illuminates, the paths in the night, like the leaves in the wind, like the sun that frightens the cold. Like the earth to the rain, like the sea that awaits the river, that's how I hope for your return, to the land of oblivion. _

_ You have the key to my heart, I love you more than my life, because without your love, I'll die _ .”

Keith dropped the tablet on the table and looked for Lance in the room. Still, stuck in the conga line, Keith wondered if what he believed to have heard was true. 

_ Yo te quiero -  _ I love you.

Suddenly, the music in the room changed and burst in a live cumbia band dressed in traditional Colombian festival wears. Three dancers moved around their skirts with Natalie presented as the central dancer. She moved her hips to the music of the drums and shouted for everyone to join as festive masks, noisemakers, and glow sticks were passed around to all the guests. She turned to place a specially made blue hat for Lance on his head and then started to make her way to Keith, but realized he wasn’t at the table. 

From the corner of her eye, she saw him exiting the banquet hall and quietly followed him. To her surprise, she found him sitting on the ground, knees tucked against his chest. “Hey, everything okay?” 

“Natalie. Shouldn’t you be at your wedding?” 

“I can say the same thing. What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing. Just panicking a little.” 

“That doesn’t sound like nothing.” 

She sat in silence beside him, allowing him to relax and speak when he was ready. “I think your brother loves me.” 

“Do you have any actual news? I kind of already knew that.” 

Keith groaned and buried his head into his knees, “He told you?” 

“Nope. That idiot wouldn’t tell me that. I figured it out before he did.” 

“Well he figured it out.” 

“Do you not love him back?” 

Keith smiled against his knees, “That’s not the issue.” 

“Then, what is?” 

“I’ve never loved anyone before. Like truly loved. So, I’m panicking cause he basically just told me and I’m scared to say it back.” 

“Why? If you know he feels the same…” 

“I’ve  _ never _ loved anyone before.” 

Natalie sighed and wrapped an arm around Keith, pulling him in to lean against her, “I get ya. Well, I guess we will stay here until you’re ready to go back.” 

“No, go back. I’m good -”

“Nope. Bride’s request. No one can refuse the bride’s request.” She smiled at him as he breathed a fresh breath and stayed against her. 

Moments later, Lance appeared from inside the banquet, “There you both are. Hey, what’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” lied Natalie, “I needed some time away from the chaos and Keith offered to sit with me.” 

“Oh, okay. Well,  _ mami _ is looking for you.” 

“Okay,” she stood up, “coming Keith?” 

“I need about a minute more.” 

“I’ll stay. Go,” said Lance. She didn’t move until keith gave her the signal to leave. Lance slid down against the wall and sat beside Keith. “You’re not lying to me, right? Everything okay?” 

Keith looked to Lance, heart beating faster, but in a thrilling and euphoric sensation. “Yeah. Just tired.” He leaned against Lance and closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths as he thought through what he would do next. 

Eventually, they both returned to the party and enjoyed the cumbia music for the Colombian tradition known as  _ La Hora Loca _ \- the crazy hour. They transitioned back to the DJ music for the bouquet toss. 

As predicted, they all tried to get Lance to catch the flowers, but he kept refusing. Out of curiosity, Keith asked why. “Whoever catches the bouquet is the next to get married with the person who catches the garter or something like that. All I know is I’m not falling for their games.” 

Keith shrugged his shoulders, “I”ll do it.” 

“What?” 

The cousins screamed and let go of Lance to drag Keith into the crowded group. At the count of three, Natalie threw the flowers behind her as it flew across the dancefloor. Keith readied himself to tackle for the flowers like a football, but instead, he noticed all the cousins step to the side and allowing the flowers to land right in Keith’s arms. 

“Now, I have to catch the garter!” shouted Lance. 

Keith was forced onto a chair to wait for the men to catch the garter. Appearing steamed and determined, Lance pushed up his sleeves and prepared to fight for the garter - or more for his man. 

Unlike the women, the men put up a fight for the garter as it flew into the air. With a shoulder check to Ricardo, Lance snagged the garter and twirled it on his finger. The song “Let’s Get it On” by Marvin Gaye started playing as Lance approached Keith and got down on one knee. Keith turned as red as his shirt as Lance took his leg and started moving the garter up. Once it reached his knee, everyone started to chant “ _ Con la boca! Con la boca!” _

“Well, I have to give the audience what they want,” commented Lance. In one move, Lance bit down on the garter and moved it up Keith’s thigh with his mouth. The family went crazy as Keith completely lost consciousness of the world around him. When the garter reached its destination, the family cheered and the music shifted back for dancing.

Lance took Keith’s hand, noticing his dazed look. “I said not to catch the bouquet.” Keith giggled and shoved the flowers on Lance’s chest before requesting to be taken to the dancefloor once more. 

#

They stepped out of the elevator holding their jackets and tie in their arms. It was past two in the morning, but both men had blissfully enjoyed their night. Slightly buzzed from the shot of  _ Aguardiente _ they were forced to have at the end of the party, Lance and Keith staggered their way back to their room. 

Keith’s mind kept darting back to their first dance and the words of the lyrics from the song. He knew what he wanted to do and he figured a way to say it, but his heart kept beating to rapidly to be calm enough. 

The hallway was empty and quiet. Only the buzz of the air conditioner could be heard as Lance approached their door. 

Keith kept a few steps behind, but stopped. He took a deep breath, wanting more than anything to just say it. He had no regrets of his feelings - they were true and the most honest he had ever felt, but it didn’t stop his heart from jittering miles a second 

“Lance,” he said.

“Yeah?” Lance didn’t turn away from finding the key card within his wallet.

Keith took a deep breath, finding all the courage he could muster. With a single breath he spoke, nothing holding him back any longer. 

“ _ Te quiero.”  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! This meant alot to me. I really couldn't wait to write this and I hope you guys liked it. Thank you guys for everything. We are now reaching the end of the story (chapter 25 will be it!) BTW, that song is my favorite thing in the world! I love it so much <3
> 
> Thanks again!
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING - Fluffy Sex Scene in Chapter: The scene is marked off in a quote box if you wish to skip <3
> 
> I teased for 20 chapter... I tease no more. Its fluffy smut. I hope you enjoy...
> 
> Also, to those that commented me the difference between the phrase "te quiero" and "te amo," yep I know the difference. I always have and I did it on purpose. You will see why ;) 
> 
> My mother used to lecture me as a child the difference between the two phrases, which is where this idea came from. Enjoy!

“ _Te quiero.”_

Lance didn't react, leaving Keith to wonder if he had said the right words. Standing silently in the halls in front of their room, Keith contemplated if maybe he had misunderstood what Lance was trying to say with the song. He opened his mouth, ready to come up with any excuse he could muster, but then Lance spoke.

“Your first Spanish lesson,” Lance kept his back to Keith, “ _te quiero_ means I love you, but the degree of power within those words varies. You can say _te quiero_ to a lover but you can also say it to your family, friends, pet, even food and it mean the same thing. However, in Spanish there is a phrase that translate to the same words but the impact is much different. This phrase is saved only for a lover, partner, spouse, _boyfriend._ This phrase clearly shows what you mean without any hesitation. _Te amo.”_ Lance turned around to face Keith. His face completely covered in a red tint and his eyes glittering even in the hall’s dim lighting, “ _Te amo,_ Keith.”

Keith exhaled a deep breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in. With a beaming smile and warm cheeks, he nodded his head in understanding and replied, “ _Te amo_ , Lance.”

Lance stepped close to Keith, closing the gap between them. He raised a hand onto Keith’s cheek and pulled him close, only leaving inches away between their lips. “Say it again. I want to feel you say it.”

“ _Te amo.”_

Lance could not hold back any longer. He rushed his lips against Keith after whispering his reply, “I love you, too.”

The two boys stood in the hall, tired from the wedding, embracing each other in a passion neither had felt before.

Freeing.

They felt free when near the other; their lips focused only on the idea that they belonged to each other - now even more spiritually.

Keith forced himself to pull back from Lance, “We should go inside.”

Lance chuckled, “Yes… we should.”

Lance took Keith’s hand and opened the door into their room. Neither of them reached for the light, allowing the glow of the moon to shine through the window.

They tossed their jackets and ties onto the ground as Lance swooped Keith’s face into his hands and returned to kissing him. Keith did not hesitate to return the gesture, digging his hands against the back of Lance’s neck, nearly clawing against the bottom of his hairline.

Lance started taking steps forward until they both fell on the bed, never breaking their kiss. Keith’s hands started to wander Lance’s shoulder, craving for them to be in view but elated that he could grip them so firmly.

Lance pulled back to smile down, “I’m going to secure the locks on the door. I am not allowing anyone to disrupt us this time.”

Keith laughed, “They could always knock.”

“I’ll just open the door naked. I’m tired to being held back from you.”

> Lance stood off Keith and started to lock the door and loosen the buttons off his shirt. Keith took the opportunity to reach into the nightstand and remove the small black bag Shiro had given him.
> 
> “Is that it?”
> 
> “Yeah.”
> 
> Lance sntached the bag away from Keith as he sat down beside him on the edge of the bed. He opened the zipper and dug his hand inside, “Damn, how much sex was Shiro thinking you were going to have? With this amount of condoms, we would have never left the room.”
> 
> “Wishful thinking, but I’m positive he intended this to be for more than just the trip.” Keith snickered.
> 
> Lance took out the bottle of lube and one condom before closing the bag and putting it on the floor. He turned to Keith and a rush of nerves overtook him. Holding up the two items, he swallowed air and took a deep breath, “I’m nervous. Is it weird to be nervous.”
> 
> “No. I am too. I mean, I’ve done this before but…”
> 
> “But it's not the same like all the other times. Yeah, I feel the same.”
> 
> They sat at the edge of the bed; Lance fiddling with the condom wrapper in his hand. A thought that had crossed his mind several times rushed to the front of his brain. He had kept the thought a secret for sometime, not sure how to approach the conversation, especially when they were still waiting for this moment to even be a possibility, but Lance didn’t really have a choice now. He either had to say it or go on without bringing it up.
> 
> “Keith. Can I ask you for a quick favor?”
> 
> “Um - sure? But really, now?”
> 
> “It’s about _now_. See, this isn’t my first time with a man…”
> 
> “I know, we’ve talking about this.”
> 
> “Yeah, but there is something I’ve never done before because, well, I didn’t completely trust my partner. Well, I didn’t trust them wholeheartedly.”
> 
> “Lance, just spill it,” Keith placed his hand on Lance’s cheek for encouragement.
> 
> “I’ve never been _bottom_ before…”
> 
> “Okay. That’s fine. I’ve done both, so if you’re wanting to be on top…”
> 
> “No, that’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is, I trust you more than anyone I’ve ever met and I feel ready to try.”
> 
> “Oh! Yeah, okay. If that’s what you want.”
> 
> Lance leaned in and kissed Keith. “Yeah, that’s what I want.”
> 
> Keith grinned a kiss back on Lance. With his hands, he took the bottle and condom away from Lance and placed it on the nearby pillow. He lifted himself to his knees and pulled Lance closer to him. Lance followed his guidance, crawling on the bed with his knees and holding Keith in his arms.
> 
> Keith was the first to start moving, removing his lips from Lance’s and trailing them down his neck. He took his time to enjoy every single inch of Lance as he reached his collar and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. With each button Keith removed, he would replace with his lips onto the exposed skin. Lance hummed in pleasure, enjoying the sensation of Keith’s kisses. He gripped onto Keith’s strong arms, releasing a moan and whispering his name.
> 
> Once the last button was undone, Keith returned to Lance’s lips and kissed him while removing Lance’s shirt off his body. Assisting, Lance pulled down the shirt from the sleeves, allowing Keith to unbutton his own shirt.
> 
> Bare chested and heaving, Lance placed his hand on Keith’s chest, paying attention to every curve of his body. He glided his hands over Keith’s chest, fiddling with one hand and then kissing down to the opposite side. He teased with his tongue, forcing Keith to fall and grip the sheets of the bed. Lance kept to all fours, taking his time to tease and taste Keith.
> 
> “Lance…” he moaned, unable to deny how long he had waited for this moment, “God, I love you.”
> 
> Lance grinned and returned to Keith’s face, “Mothy, you already got me in bed. Stop trying to turn me on. I’m already there.” Keith shook his head and pulled Lance into another kiss. As Lance’s body relaxed against him, he wrapped his arms around him and briskly flipped him over.
> 
> Surprised, Lance’s eyes opened wide as they looked up to Keith, “Cub, you have much to learn under my watch.”
> 
> “What?”
> 
> Keith dug his hands into Lance’s hair, massaging his scalp with his fingers as his other hand slowly drifted down to the button of his pants. Lance rolled his body along with Keith’s touch, twitching when he felt Keith beginning to unbutton and unzip his pants. With a grip of bliss, Keith’s hand grabbed hold of Lance, teasing with his fingers underneath the fabric of his pants and underwear.
> 
> Keith, thrilled, moved down Lance’s body and tugged away the pants, tossing them off the bed. He stood up on his knees and gazed down to Lance. He covered his own mouth, blushing and trying to hide away the biggest smile he ever had.
> 
> “Wh - What is it?”
> 
> “Nothing. I’m just enjoying the view.”
> 
> “Babe!” Lance covered his face with his own hands, “well? Why can’t I enjoy the view too?”
> 
> Keith huffed out a laugh, “Alright. Fair is fair.” Keith maneuvered off the bed and removed the remainder of his clothing. Lance sat up and rested his back on the bed’s headboard, grinning proudly at the sight before him.
> 
> “Better,” said Lance as Keith returned to the bed and crawled over to him. As Keith stopped between Lance’s legs, Lance gulped in anticipation, “Much better.”
> 
> “Much,” Keith placed his lips against the tip of Lance. The immediate rush of pleasure coursed through Lance’s body, just by the simple lick from the base to the tip. Keith held on with his hands until he took Lance into his mouth.
> 
> Lance bit his lip, unable to control the shaking of his legs from the feel of Keith’s tongue stroking along with his lips. Keith kept pleasuring Lance with his mouth, moving up and down, changing the speed and the motion of his tongue. He wrapped his arms around Lance’s thighs, holding him closer as he kept moving against him. Lance placed his hands into Keith’s hair, curling his fingers in and holding him tightly.
> 
> “Keith… oh, god.” Lance rocked his body along with Keith’s motions. Feeling himself reach his peak, Lance started to lean back his head and gripped firmly onto Keith’s hair, but then he stopped and pulled completely away. “Wha -”
> 
> “No, not yet. Stay there.”
> 
> Regardless, Lance was unable to move even if he wanted to; his body quivering from being left unfinished. Keith reached over to the condom and lube, placing the condom around himself and then lube on his finger tips.
> 
> “Since this is your first time, we’ll take it easy. Okay?” asked Keith
> 
> Lance responded with a heaving sigh and a nod of his head. Keith crawled over to Lance and kissed his neck as he inserted his first finger. Lance cried, small tears started to well in his eyes. Keith waited until he felt Lance relax before thrusting the finger in and out. As a distraction, Keith began to nibble against Lance’s skin and, once he heard a moan of pleasure, he inserted a second finger.
> 
> Lance started to rock against Keith’s fingers, asking through his body for more. Keith obliged and slipped in a third finger. His hands reached for Keith’s back, clawing down his shoulder blades to his spine. Keith called out Lance’s name, enjoying the squeeze against his fingers and the slight pain for Lance’s nails. Keith started to thrust in and spread his three fingers when thrusting out. Lance’s body trembled with the change, no longer able to keep focus or a clear thought.
> 
> “You ready?” asked Keith softly.
> 
> “I think so,” replied Lance.
> 
> Keith pulled out his fingers and cleaned them off with a nearby tissue. He positioned himself against Lance and adjusted Lance’s hips for entry. He grabbed a hold of himself and gently pressed the tip at Lance’s entrance. It already felt different - a complete feel of entry as Keith slowly pushed himself in. Lance’s tears ran down his cheeks, but the cries of pleasure allowed Keith to know he didn’t need to stop.
> 
> Keith griped, blissfully feeling the squeeze of Lance around him. The tightness forced him to stop moving once he was fully in, giving Lance time to adjust to the change. Keith leaned forward, placing his arms around to hold himself up beside Lance’s face.
> 
> Lance reached his hand to Keith’s cheek, “I love you.”
> 
> Keith chuckled, “Who’s turning who on now?”
> 
> Keith slowly started to thrust against Lance, careful for the cues that Lance’s body gave him. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith’s neck, head falling back as he began to slowly pick up the pace. As his body craved for more, Lance started rolling his hips along with Keith, causing him to groan in pure euphoria. Keith lifted Lance’s hips, rocking himself in and out and moaning continuously. Getting a regular motion, the two drowned themselves in each other’s touch, wanting more than anything for it to never end.
> 
> It hit them both like a train - the memories of the moments that made them reach now. Their pure emotional connection and the understanding of commitment and love. They realized that this could be it, the last person they would ever be this intimate with, but all it did was arouse the pleasure between them even more.
> 
> Keith could feel himself reaching the end. He rocked harder against Lance as he reached his hand to start stroking his love. Lance peaked, crying out with the trembles of his body as he spilled all over Keith’s hand and his own chest.
> 
> “Damn it,” he cried, covering his eyes with his arm.
> 
> “No,” moaned Keith, “I’m almost finished. I want to see your face.” Lance removed his arm and kept yelling from Keith’s thrusting. With a quiver of his spine, Keith pulled Lance’s legs closer to him as he held his position deep inside Lance as he finished.
> 
> He stayed in that position, both relaxing their bodies as they tried to steady their breaths.
> 
> With time, Keith slipped out and fell on his back. “Don’t move, I’ll be right back.” He rolled off the bed and staggered his way into the bathroom; tossing the condom in the trash and gathering a towel for Lance. Upon his return, he sat beside Lance and assisted him wipe away the reminisce of their love making off his chest.
> 
> “Did it go as you expected?” asked Keith bashfully.
> 
> “No,” Lance placed a hand over Keith’s stopping him from moving the towel. He leaned up and kissed Keith lovingly, “it went way better than I expected. I think I can manage doing that again.”
> 
> Keith finished wiping Lance and tossed the towel to the floor, “As long as you don’t mind sharing the pleasure.”
> 
> “Anything works for me as long as I have you, babe.”

They laid naked, kissing and lost in their own love struck moment. With some clarity, Lance came up with a crazy idea. “Get off the bed and follow me.” Keith did as he was told, but hesitated to move forward when he noticed Lance pull the comforter off the bed and walk towards the balcony of the hotel room, still completely naked.

“What are you doing?”

“I figured we could cuddle under the stars.”

“Naked?”

“In a blanket!”

Keith rolled his eyes and decided not to object. Lance slid the balcony door open and immediate leaped onto Keith, cradling both of them in the comforter. They stumbled over to the lawn chair and laid back, Keith’s head resting on Lance’s shoulders.

They watched the stars together, counting the specks as they enjoyed each other’s warmth and the freeness of finally being completely open to their partner - nothing held them back now.

“This trip. It was fun,” said Lance.

“Yeah, way more than I expected,” replied Keith.

“To a degree, I think we learned more about each other this week, than we had during all this time together.”

“Maybe its because, we both finally realized, what it means to be one.”

“What do you mean?”

“Until now, we really liked each other and were working really hard to please the other, but - I guess - we kept seeing it from our own separate mindset. Now, I feel, more connected than before. It sounds stupid.”

“Naw, I totally get it.” Lance pulled Keith closer to him, huddling the comforter even tighter, “I can’t believe Markus was right.”

“About what?”

“About what he said to Natalie. It’s the perfect way to describe it.” Lance gazed towards the stars and inhaled the brisk night air, enjoying the darkness above them and the clarity of the sky, “ _El amor que tengo por ti sólo puede ser medido por la distancia del universo.”_

Keith blushed and pulled himself closer to Lance, nuzzling his face on the crook of his neck. Keith whispered, “The love I have for you can only be measured by the distance of the universe.”

Lance chuckled and began playing with Keith’s hair, “You remembered.”

“Or I’m learning.”

They faced each other and gave a long and loving kiss. Refusing to go back to bed until the sun started to rise from the horizon.

#

The next day went by quickly. The afternoon was their last chance to sightsee as they took Hunk out to see and savior all the various locations and foods around the city. Upon their return, they packed their belongings to take their late night flight back to Tampa.

It already felt like a nostalgic memory as they loaded onto the shuttle and rode away from the hotel. Lance leaned against Keith, looking out the window and taking in ever last sight they could spare into their memory.

“This was a great trip,” commented Lance.

“Yeah,” Keith reached his finger underneath Lance’s chin and pulled him in for a kiss, “it was great.”

Keith placed his arm around Lance and pulled him closer. They held each other the whole shuttle ride, speaking with the family about their time together for the week.

At the airport, they all took their time to hug and kiss each other goodbye. Melly grabbed Keith by the cheeks, squeezing them tightly, “You keep taking care of my boy. He’s a fragile thing underneath all that _chisma._ And speak with your parents about visiting this summer.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he mumbled through a smile.

“Call me _Mamí.”_

Keith couldn't stop smiling, “Okay, _Mamí.”_

She hugged him and then grabbed Lance and Hunk to hug them as well. They all said their slightly tearful good byes, Natalie and Markus giving especially tight hugs as their thanks for everything during the wedding.

Leaving the parties to head to the airplane to Europe for their two week long honeymoon on a cruise, Natalie and Markus waved goodbye, holding each other's hands in newlywed's bliss. Lance wrapped his arms around Keith and hugged him, sighing.

“What’s wrong?” asked Keith.

“Nothing, just thinking.”

“About what?”

“The trip. Last night. Just everything.” They smiled, but he kept one thought to himself - his hope that one day they would be Natalie and Markus.

They boarded their flight with Miguel, Trish, Ginny, and Hunk. They slept most of the flight home and entertained Ginny when they weren't. When the plane arrived, it felt like Colombia was nothing short of a fantasy that couldn't possibly have happened.

Leaving the plane, Keith turned his phone one. It vibrate violently with an array of text message all from one sender.

<//>

_Pidge: I don't want Hunk to leave. Then, I'll be all alone._

_Pidge: When are you back?_

_Pidge: I’m so bored!_

_Pidge: UGH! None of the guys are online for Destiny._

_Pidge: I’m not surviving this!_

_Pidge: Why do you hate me so much?!_

_Pidge: By now I would have hacked the system to get some free roaming to message you!_

_Pidge: Is this cause I didn't message you while I was on the cruise?_

_Pidge: You were with Lance! I didn't want to bother._

_Pidge: That’s what it is! You and Lance! You're avoiding me cause of your bf. I get it, doesn't mean I'm not bored._

_Pidge: I miss you guys so much! No one is as entertaining as you guys!_

_Pidge: Matt’s taking me to the zoo._

_Pidge: <Image Attached> _

_Pidge: This monkey’s ass reminds me of your face._

_Pidge: OMG I just saw a big male monkey try to butt hurt a smaller male monkey. Smaller monkey freaked out and ran across the field yelling until he ran into a rock with an audible thud!_

_Pidge: Is that gonna happen when you finally remove the stick up your ass and have some sex with Lance?_

_Pidge: I swear if you didn't have sex during this trip, I'm gonna force his penis into you._

_Pidge: like with my hand!_

_Pidge: I'm tired of hearing how horny you are._

_Pidge: I still miss you._

_Pidge: Does this dress look nice on me?_

_Pidge: <Image Attached> _

_Pidge: Yes, I know?! I'm in a dress! Shockers! But I need one for nationals and the banquet afterward._

_Pidge: OMG, I forgot to mention! They are doing a living airing of nationals at the school theater! I got you guys the best seats so you can watch while we are away._

_Pidge: You better read all my texts when you get back._

_Pidge: I need to know I still own you._

_Pidge: YOUR BROTHER IS SO MEAN! He took my phone away for a few hours, saying “there really is no point in texting him. He’s not going to look at it until he gets back.”_

_Pidge: Well, what if I want to waste your time looking at random texts from me._

_Pidge: It's how I keep you in check and let you know who’s really in charge._

_Pidge: Heading to the airport!_

_Pidge: You better text me the MOMENT your flight lands._

_Pidge: Did you buy me a gift? I expect a gift!_

_Pidge: Shiro is telling me to put my phone away. Fool._

_Pidge: WHERE ARE YOU?!_

_Pidge: Do you think I should ride the conveyor belt while I wait._

_Pidge: I’m gonna do it. Shiro and Matt aren't looking._

_Pidge: <Video attached> _

_Pidge: If you listen closely, you can hear Shiro and Matt yelling at me. Haha!_

_Pidge: Shiro is gonna make a great dad someday. He’s got this whole lecturing and disciplining down perfectly. I mean, if I was even remotely scared of him, I would be quivering in my boots. Kudos to him._

_Pidge: WHERE ARE YOU!_

_Keith: Just landed (and read the essay in text you just sent me… Lance and Hunk are rewatching the video again and again on their phones). Heading to C6 to get our stuff._

_Pidge: YAY!_

_ <//> _

Keith had no time to get his luggage as Pidge lunged at him the moment he appeared within her eye sights. He embraced her tightly as she kept hugging him but reached for Lance and Hunk to join. They shrugged their shoulders and joined in on the group hug.

“You guys are so mean for leaving me behind! Next time you have to either take me or at least make sure one of you stays behind the whole time.”

“You’re ridiculous,” said Keith.

“It's a _command_!” she replied.

They all laughed as Miguel greeted Shiro and Matt while getting the luggage from the conveyor belt and guiding everyone back to the two cars they brought to the airport.

Pidge forced Keith into the car with her, Hunk, and Shiro, shoving Lance to leave with Matt, Miguel, Ginny, and Trish. Neither of the boys protested, knowing it was best to just let Pidge do what Pidge does.

As they drove off, Pidge looked out the window, sitting with Keith in the back seat. Her eyes darted, as if trying to make sure the other car couldn't hear them, “So, did you guys finally do it?”

“Kate!” they all screamed.

“What?”

“That is so inappropriate!” commented Shiro.

“Whatever, dad.”

Keith blushed and looked out the window, crossing his arms and hating being put on the spot.

“Did you have fun?” asked Shiro, trying to keep the conversation in a safer place.

“Yes. It was an amazing trip,” Keith grinned, keeping his eyes out the window.

Shiro saw his bashful look from the rear view and suddenly felt proud, “Glad to hear.”

Pidge mumbled to herself, wanting to know the details, but knew that with Shiro around, she would never get a word out of Keith. They pulled into the apartments where Miguel, Ginny, and Trish transferred to their car and wished everyone a goodnight before heading to their own home.

Lance immediately went back to Keith's side, grabbing his hand and holding it as they walked into the complex.

“You guys are gross,” said Pidge, watching how obnoxiously sweet they were with each other, “stop being so, _this!”_ She pointed to their closeness.

Lance pulled him closer, “No way, Pidgey! I love this man and I'm gonna be as gross with him as I want.”

“Love?” whispered Shiro, grinning.

Keith smiled but only looked to Lance as he whispered a reply to his brother, “Yeah, love.”

“You guys really did have a good time.”

“The best time of my life.” Keith leaned in and kissed Lance on the cheek.

They couldn't remove their smiles and wanted to never let each other go. “Sickening!” yelled Pidge as the elevator doors opened to their floor.

“Mario Kart?” asked Hunk as he opened his door. Keith quickly opened his door and threw his luggage inside, grabbing Pidge and dragging her in.

“Yep.”

With that, everything went as it was and Colombia became the fantasy that made their new reality all the better.

<//>

_(Group chat: The Fosters)_

_Keith: We never told Lance we were in a band._

_Barry: Aren't you suppose to be in Colombia?_

_Keith: Just returned._

_Matt: Welcome back! And, we didn’t @_@_

_Garth: You sure? I'm positive I may have mentioned a story or two._

_Keith: He was all shocked when I finished singing and then I mentioned the band._

_Matt: You sung?! How long has it been since you did that?_

_Keith: In front of an audience, our last performance._

_Garth: I can confidently say the same thing._

_Matt: We need to get back together soon. Even if it's just for a few rounds of Rockband._

_Barry: It's nearly impossible. None of us really have the money. Well, some of us._

_Keith: Look, if I could take a car and drive around the nation picking you all up, I would._

_Garth; It's best you don't go around taking cars again. lol_

_Keith: ha… ha… funny…_

_Barry; Still would be nice. Why not?! Let's all start saving a little money here and there. I'll open a small account where each of us can put money in as we can and when we have enough, we reunite._

_Matt: Loving that idea._

_Garth: That sounds good to me._

_Keith: Totally._

_Barry: Awesome! I'll set it up and give you guys in the info once I have it. Just put in what you can. Don't stress._

_Garth: Honestly, I don't care. I just want to see my bros again._

_Matt: For sure. I miss you guys._

_Keith: I'm dying to introduce you guys to Lance. And I totally want to meet Levy and Sam._

_Garth: Trust me, they want to meet you guys too. And Lance sounds so cool, I want to meet the miracle worker._

_Keith: Miracle worker?_

_Barry: Anybody that can get you to step out of your bubble AND get you to commit to a relationship is a miracles worker._

_Keith: …_

_Matt: Are we wrong?_

_Garth: We can't be. Levy is my miracle worker._

_Keith: …_

_Keith: ^_^_

_Matt: Was that a smiley face from Keith?!_

_Garth: I think he's dead. This has to be someone else._

_Barry: Keith! If you are there. Give a secret code to tell us how to remove the demon from your body!_

_Keith: haha… I can't be happy?_

_Matt: It's not something we are used to seeing. lol._

_Keith: Well, I'm happy._

_Keith: …_

_Keith: Guys, I love him._

_Garth: o.O_

_Matt: @-@_

_Barry: x_x_

_Keith: Really?_

_Garth: OMFG IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU! Dude! I never thought you would say that about someone else. Welcome to the club! I'm sending you the welcoming basket via mail._

_Keith: Seriously?!_

_Matt: Holy shit, Keith. I'm gonna be honest. I didn't know you were that serious. I mean, I'm so happy for you, but I just didn't expect it. This is good for you._

_Keith: It feels right._

_Barry: Damn. Damn. Damn. The Kogane is in love. Garth is getting married and has a kid. Like, we’re adulting?!_

_Keith: WHAT IS THIS ABOUT MARRIAGE?!_

_Garth: That's right. You weren’t in that raid. I bought Levy a ring. I'm gonna pop the question in a few weeks. I got my promotion._

_Keith: AWESOME! Awesome!!!!  (FYI, Hope you don't mind. I told Lance. He’s really happy too. Literally jumping in excitement for you.)_

_Barry: I just realized that's what we should use the money we save up for._

_Matt: Holy hell! That's right!_

_Garth: HOLY CRAP! Didn't even think about it! Of course we need to use the money for that! You guys need to be my groomsmen!_

_Keith: Done and done! I'm all for using that money to be your groomsmen._

_Matt: Totally agree!_

_Barry: Naming it “Garth Loses His Freedom Fund.”_

_Garth: -_-_

_Keith: That implies he currently has freedom._

_Matt: Ooooooooooo!_

_Barry: That flame is burning!_

_Garth: I love you guys._

_Barry: This wedding business is making you all sentimental._

_Matt: We love you too._

_Barry: Almost have it set up. Emailing you guys where you can put your bank accounts and info._

_Keith: This is exciting… Lance is already planning his suit and Pidge wants to come to. I think they are planning a whole road trip. This got interesting._

_Garth: I want PidgeyTech at my wedding! Yes!_

_Keith: She’s not gonna miss it. “Clan members stick together!” she says._

_Matt: Well, can't argue with that logic._

_Barry: Iron Banner wedding??_

_Garth: I doubt Levy will let me have a Destiny themed wedding._

_Matt: Then a Destiny theme bachelor party?_

_Keith: You mean a raid? lol_

_Matt: A LAN party with drinks, food, and then a night out in our clan colors!_

_Garth: Sounds perfect!_

_Barry: So, who is best man?_

_Garth: …_

_Garth: I'll have to get back to you on that. I may have to make you guys fight for it._

_Keith: Crucible match?_

_Garth: I'll figure it out. But that's likely one of the rounds._

_Barry: One of the matches?!_

_Matt: I'm gonna fight until the death for this._

_Keith: Too bad I'm gonna leave you in the dust._

_Garth: This suddenly got really fun for me._

_Matt: I'm sure._

_Garth: OH! I've been meaning to ask. Have you and Lance finally done it?! I'm sick of hearing that whiny voice of yours when we play._

_Keith: Whiny voice?_

_Matt: lol. I know which one you're talking about. The same one from junior year when he went a year without sex._

_Keith: I've gone longer than that since then._

_Barry; yeah, cause you hermitted. Now you have someone and have been denying yourself. I have no idea how you survive._

_Keith: It was worth waiting for._

_Garth: WAS. Key word._

_Barry: I envy you hardcore right now._

_Matt: How long has it been?_

_Barry: I broke up with Mary my sophomore year in college. Since then._

_Matt: I need to wingman you soon. Since we are the singles here._

_Keith: I can speak from personal experience that a good wingman can go along way. lol._

_Matt: I'm not dating Barry. Love you, but no. lol._

_Barry: No need to apologize. I feel the same. lol._

_Keith: Missing out. I have no regrets. lol._

_Garth: I'm sure you don't._

_Matt: We should raid soon._

_Keith: I missed a whole week of school. I'm gonna need a week to recover._

_Matt: Next weekend?_

_Keith: I'll ask Lance to join._

_Barry: Sounds good. For now, Pidge will fill in._

_Garth: I'll come in as I can. Start training for my promotion this week and I have a kid, you know._

_Barry: Still kind of weird to think how much adulting we are doing._

_Matt: But it's been good for us._

_Garth: For sure._

_Keith: Yeah. You're right. Life is turning out really well for all of us._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Although the smut was fun to write, Pidge ended up becoming my favorite. 1) The monkey butt story is true. I witnessed it and its my favorite story to tell. 2) I love that little bean!
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed! Only 5 more chapters left. <3
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. The final arc begins. This chapter is mostly set up, but let's see where this goes, shall we. :D
> 
> -Luna

“Let’s go Voltron, let’s go!” the crowd chanted, “let’s go Voltron, let’s go!” The two loudest in the filled theater, Allura and Lance, came accustomed in their colors, proudly holding up their sign and standing in the chair - even after the several warnings from the people that worked in the theater.

Keith laughed as Shiro attempted to get them down. He kept clicking away on the laptop trying to get Skype to connect.

“No! That’s not the correct wifi!” said Ricardo.

“Yes it is. You have to use the guest server, but I can use the student one. Just give it a minute,” replied Keith. Armando hung on Keith’s back, over looking and waiting for the laptop to connect. With a ring, the Skype call finally went through and Pidge’s nervous smile beamed through the screen.

“Took you long enough!” yelled Pidge.

“Sorry, a lot of people are here using the wifi,” replied Keith, “You wanna see?”

“Yes! Hunk! Matt! Coran! Come here!” In seconds the three moved over to the screen as Keith moved his laptop to show them the crowd.

“Guys! Team Voltron says hi!” screamed Lance as he noticed them on the laptop. The crowded theater screamed and started chanting once again. They quickly notice many of their classmates and other students who had gone to some of their events. It warmed their hearts to see such a turn out.

Keith pulled the laptop back to look at them as Lance jumped to press his cheek against Keith to get a view of the screen. “You’re fans are awaiting victory!” said Lance.

“You guys! This means so much!” said Pidge.

“Are - are you crying?” asked Keith.

“No! I’m not!” she weeped as she covered her face with her hands.

“She’s totally crying,” said Hunk as he placed a hand around her, “we’re pretty nervous. The champs from last year made it again this year.”

“The Galras?” asked Armando.

“You’ve been reading on all this, haven’t you?” asked Lance.

Armando nodded his head and kept focused on the conversation. “Yeah. They have won first place in all their rankings. You should see their robot. It’s a beast,” said Matt.

“No worries. You guys got this,” said Ricardo, “we’re here to cheer you on!”

“You guys are seriously the best! We have to get going. Go team Voltron!” said Pidge as she wiped away a tear.

“Go team Voltron!” they shouted back with a loud a thunderous cheer.

The screen on the stage rolled down as the lights dimmed. The live screening begun with a battle between two other schools. They took their seats and watched each battle with care, taking into the consideration how the winning teams would do against Voltron.

When it was time for team Voltron’s first battle, the theater went crazy. Matt was the first to take the controller. Their robot looked the same, only the cube was much wider and required a larger track on its wheels to keep it steady, along with a second set of tracks on its back.

The match begun and the victory was an easy steal, crushing through the opponent’s robot with the first drill out of the left hatch.

“Yeah!” screamed Armando as he bounced off his seat.

“If they compete with the third team, Voltron will easily win that one too,” commented Ricardo.

“Voltron is gonna crush all of them!” said Lance, “hey, mothy, you want any snacks?”

“Yeah and a drink. I'll go get them,” said Keith.

“I'll come with.”

“I'll go,” said Shiro, “Allura wants some snacks too. You stay here with your brothers.”

“Oh - okay.” Lance gave a quick kiss to Keith before handing him some money.

Keith and Shiro walked up to the concession stands in the lobby. “We haven't talked about Colombia,” said Shiro, “but you seem happier since you returned.”

“Much happier. Well, maybe not happier. Maybe more aware of my happiness.” Keith couldn't stop smiling.

“How did it go?”

“Well, you heard us say it and we mean it.” Keith paused as he took a step forward into the line, “I never expect to feel this way. I mean really, think about it. We are the complete opposite of each other. Nothing about how we grew up or where we came from is the same, but I've never felt so comfortable and like myself in my life. I can see a future with him.”

“Damn, you're getting really serious right now,” Shiro chuckled, “I’m not sure I'm ready for this.”

Keith shoved Shiro’s arm, “Don't do that. Don't make this hard to talk about.”

“I'm just teasing. You know I completely understand.”

“How did you know that Allura was it?”

Shiro thought for a moment, “I guess, it was when she first spent the night with me.”

“Seriously?”

“Now, hold on, it's not a perv reason! That day I made her dinner and she insisted on helping. Not once did she let me spoil her. I had to force her to sit back and eat dessert without stepping into the kitchen. Then, we just relaxed. Nothing special. Some Netflix and cuddling then night time stuff.”

“Ew,” Keith joked.

Shiro continued with a laugh, “When I woke up the next morning, she wasn't in bed. I worried, but then smelled breakfast coming from the kitchen. There she was, cooking a simple breakfast and brewing some coffee. Then, she surprised me. The moment she noticed me, she kissed me and asked me to help her and so I did. We fixed breakfast together and it just felt _right._ ”

“Right…” Keith repeated. His mind went back to all the moments him and Lance causally spent time together. They rarely did anything special or out of the ordinary, but it always felt the same - right.

“I just knew, if it felt that natural to be with her than nothing and no one else could ever compete with that feeling.”

“I totally get that. I completely get it.”

Shiro wrapped his arm around Keith’s neck and tugged him closer, “Seems mom is gonna be thrilled to know both her boys are happy and in love.”

“I'm sure she’ll be happier if you finally ask Allura to marry you.”

Shiro groaned, “One more year. We graduate in less than a year. She can wait a little longer.”

“I really doubt she can.”

Shiro slouched, “I know you're right. But just think, after me, she’s gonna be bugging you.”

“I'm already being bugged.”

“Seriously?”

“Be grateful you aren't in the McClain family. They are worse than mom.”

“Ouch! They know it's only been three months?”

“I've been told it doesn't matter,” laughed Keith.

“Does it scare you?”

“No. Not a single bit.”

Shiro replied with squeezing Keith even tighter in his arm. “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”

“Mothman kidnapped him and took him to paradise. I'm here to fool people into believing he is still alive.”

“You're ridiculous.”

“I learned it from you.”

Shiro let him go and shoved him away playfully, “Anything _else_ happened on the trip? I heard you both got your own room.”

“How did you hear that?”

“I may have known since before you left. Do you forget that Allura and Natalie are pretty close now.”

“This can't be good for me,” pouted Keith, “and, yes, we had a wonderful time,” Keith blushed and looked away from Shiro, “thanks for the bag.”

Shiro chuckled, “Anytime.”

The two giggled before reaching the stand and ordering everyone snacks. With full hands, they walked back into the theater to see everyone screaming at Voltron's second round. Pidge driving a saw down the middle of the large robot. It looked astonishing to see it wreck the larger robot into pieces.

“Voltron!” yelled Lance as he jumped into the air. He stopped only when Keith slide into his seat beside him and passed him some popcorn.

“They are doing really good, but you guys missed the first match for team Galra. Those guys are intense. Their robot is twice the size of Voltron and it seems indestructible.”

“Voltron will be fine. Pidge installed a few tricks.”

“What’d she say?”

“That I can’t tell anyone.” Keith smiled and kissed Lance on the cheek. Lance laughed and continued watching the matches.

Round after round, team Voltron kept smashing up the opponents. They were unstoppable with their upgrades and heavier armor.

<//>

( _Group Chat: Team Voltron)_

_Pidge: Did you see that last one? Hunk ruined that robot._

_Hunk: My hands are still shaking! THIS IS SO EXCITING!_

_Lance: You guys are kicking some serious ass! Ricardo and Armando can’t get enough._

_Allura: Keep it up you guys! You got the crowd going wild._

_Allura: <Video Attached> _

_Matt: I think Pidge is crying._

_Pidge: I’M NOT CRYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_Hunk: <Image Attached> _

_Pidge: Alright, I’m crying a little bit, but THAT IS SO NICE!!!!_

_Keith: I think we are breaking Pidge. She seems to be growing a heart._

_Shiro: Don’t be fooled. She maybe small, but she can easily defeat any of us._

_Matt: I can testify to that statement._

_Keith: Second_

_Pidge: That made me feel better!_

_Pidge: I own you ALL!_

_Lance: Who’s driving the final match against Galra?_

_Pidge: Me._

_Hunk: Matt and I are faster with repairs and Pidge has a better handle of the robot._

_Matt: We just have to beat this last semi-final round and we can take on Galra._

_Keith: This is seriously intense. I can’t believe you guys made it this far._

_Matt: Yeah, neither can Coran._

_Matt: <Video Attached> _

_Allura: Poor Uncle! Give him a big kiss on the cheek for me. Tell him to breath and calm down._

_Hunk: On it._

_Shiro: Party at my place._

_Matt: WHAT?! No fair?! We aren’t home._

_Shiro: Party at my place when you get home to celebrate your victory!_

_Lance: Maybe Pidge can have a few ciders._

_Lance: And we can watch a few movies._

_Lance: Maybe Disney._

_Pidge: …_

_Pidge: …_

_Pidge: I’M GOING TO FUCKING MURDER YOU KEITH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

_Keith: The smile on his face is worth it._

_Shiro: What is going on?_

_Hunk: Yeah, I’m confused._

_Pidge: DO_

_Pidge: NOT_

_Pidge: SAY_

_Pidge: A_

_Pidge: WORD!_

_Keith: <Video Attached> _

_Lance: He didn’t say anything._

_Shiro: ROTFLMAO!!!_

_Allura: Pidge? Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to be a princess? I could have trained you!_

_Matt: Hunk and I are now officially running around the arena away from her as we repeatedly watch this._

_Matt: Why did you hide this from me?_

_Keith: I made a promise. I decided only now to give up on that promise._

_Pidge: WHY!_

_Keith: Are you angry?_

_Pidge: AS ALL HELL!_

_Keith: Do you want to kick my ass?_

_Pidge: If I could punch you now I would._

_Keith: Good… now pretend I am a Galra._

_Pidge: …_

_Matt: You’re a genious._

_Hunk: She’s getting like really hyped._

_Matt: I see the demons in her eyes._

_Pidge: I’M GONNA KICK GALRA KEITH’S FACE WITH MY DRILL!_

_Keith: Good Pidge… use that anger._

_Shiro: You’ve released a monster._

_Allura: GO GET THEM PIDGE!_

_Matt: First, the semi-final round._

_ <//> _

The semi-final round went by easy. Hunk smashed the hammer from above into the robot repeatedly before pulling back and releasing a new saw from the center hatch. One hour remained until their final match. Matt and Hunk rushed the robot to the repair center and started taking apart various parts and inserting newer ones. They were lucky the last match hadn’t left much damage, so they concentrated on putting in sharper saws and tools.

Lance and Keith held hands and snuggled beside each other during the waiting hour. Both of their legs shaking, trying to keep calm until it was time for the final match.

“No one is getting a message?” asked Shiro looking to his phone.

“Nope,” replied Lance, “They must be in the zone. I mean, they made it to finals.”

“They have to win. They have the best robot,” commented Allua, jittery.

“Galra is still pretty intense. It’s gonna take all of Pidge’s rage to beat that thing,” replied Keith.

<//>

_Keith: I have additional photos I never even showed Lance… but I will._

_Keith: <Image Attached> _

_Pidge: I’M GOING TO DRIVE THE HAMMER DOWN YOUR THROAT!_

_Keith: Kick their ass, PidgeyTech!_

_ <//> _

The announcer called the attention of the audience as Team Voltron and Team Galra took the stage.

Keith chuckled to himself when the camera zoomed in on Pidge’s face. Her fury radiated onto the screen, determination to destroy everything within her path. Hunk and Matt walked behind, fresh bandages on their hands from the quickness of their repairs, but their faces looked confident and ready to show what Voltron could do.

Team Galra appeared every bit a evil as one would believe. Dressed in complete black and purple, the three members stepped to their position to shake their opponent's hand.

“You're a tiny one,” said the male, Lotor, holding the controller.

“This _tiny one_ is gonna crush you!”

“She’s feisty,” said the female team member, Hagger.

“You have no idea,” replied Matt.

Team Galra turned back to their coach, Zarkon, and prepared any last minute strategies.

Pidge, Hunk, and Matt huddled with Coran.

“Alright you guys, this is it. Voltron is gonna take that trophy home,” commented Coran.

“Release me! Let me attack!” examined Pidge.

Hunk placed his hands on her shoulder and dragged her into position, “Alright, that video sure made you pissed.”

In seconds the battle begun and Pidge shouted with an intense rage, “I'm going to kill you Keith!”

Back in Tampa, Lance laughed loudly. Pidge’s proclamation heard perfectly through the microphones, “Man, she's gonna smack you when she gets back.”

“I have a feeling I may have to go into hiding for a bit.”

“Aw! From me too?”

“I can hide in your bedroom.”

Lance giggled and leaned in for a kiss, “Deal!”

They watched as team Galra’s robot slammed Voltron against the plastic wall. Hunk and Matt squinted, but Pidge didn't move. She clicked a button and a sharp blade swung out and into the shell of Galra.

The crowd went wild as Galra zoomed away and around the arena with a fresh cut. Pidge fiddled with the joystick as she got Voltron back on its wheels and made chase. The hammer released from the top hatch, but Galra found an opening and plummeted against it.

Voltron spun out of control, leaving everyone in Tampa watching at the edge of their seats.

Pidge noticed the deep dent against the left hatch. It wouldn't open, which meant Pidge only had one option left. She was determined to win. With a smile, she released the final secret inside of their robot. All the other hatches opened, revealing the various blade, saws, and hammers within. Suddenly, the robot lifted itself slight upward and began to spin.

“Holy crap!” yelled out Ricardo, “it's a tornado death trap!”

Pidge’s glasses seemed to fog from her joy as Voltron spun violently after Galra. Team Galra didn't know what to do as it started to chase them around. As long as Voltron kept spinning, they wouldn't be able to land a solid hit.

It went on for minutes before Lotor’s thumb slipped from the joystick. Galra paused in place for only a second, but that is all Pidge needed. She drove Voltron against Galra and crash it against the wall. The weapons dug deeper and deeper into Galra until all that was left were scattered pieces all over the arena floor.

The crowd in the arena and in Tampa went wild. Pidge dropped the controller in shock when they were announced the winners, only realizing where she was when Hunk and Matt attacked her with hugs.

They jumped for joy as Coran cried in the back. They all joined together and cheered as the trophy made its way into their hands and tears flowed down their cheek.

“Team Voltron! Team Voltron! Team Voltron!” They chanted in bliss.

#

_(Group Chat: Team Voltron)_

_Keith: YOU DID IT!_

_Lance: GUYS! That was so awesome!!!!!! Congrats!_

_Shiro: Allura is literally losing her mind, she is so proud! Great jobs guys! Dinner and drinks when you're back._

_Allura: TEAM VOLTRON #1!!!!!!!!!!_

_Pidge: I'm crying! I'm not even gonna deny it!_

_Hunk: This has been the best experience!_

_Matt: Best. Day. Ever!_

_Keith: Can't wait to celebrate. Have fun at the after party._

_Hunk: You know she’s wearing a dress._

_Pidge: it's a BB-8 dress!_

_Matt: <Image Sent> _

_Keith: Of course it is. Looks great._

_Lance: ugh! I wanna go to the after party! You guys have fun. Rub it in their faces!_

_Matt: No way. We are not sore winners._

_Hunk: Yeah. Friendly sport._

_Pidge: WILL DO! Those bastards will rue the day!_

_Allura: LMAO!_

_Shiro: -_-_

_#_

It seemed natural to start moving things in one at a time. Neither of the two did it on purpose or did they even realize they had allowed things to progress in that matter.

It began with their arrival from Colombia. Lance assisted Keith in unloading his luggage and then decided to do laundry together. To save money, they put their clothes in at the same time, folded them, and took them back to Keith’s apartment. Lance had all the intention to take it back to his place, but it ended up stay inside the luggage inside of Keith’s apartment.

When they returned from the Voltron match, they decided to celebrate their friend’s victory and being able to catch up to a week's load of work - privately.

Gripping against the cushion of the couch, Keith moan furiously as he squeezed against Lance. Lance kept thirsting, intensifying the motion when Keith begged for more. Keith’s knees started to buckle as he finished from the bliss of Lance’s motion. Moments later, Lance’s body shook as he finished, holding Keith’s hips on his hands and keeping him in place.

Lance fell on top of Keith’s bare back as the two collapsed on the coach before Lance completely slipped out. Heavy in breath, they both turned to sit and moved closer; only once they felt the AC hit their heated skin.

“I need a shower,” exclaimed Lance, “Join?”

“Yeah. You get it started. I'll get us some pjs.”

Lance stood up and gave Keith a quick kiss. He shouting lightly when he removed the condom and disposed of it in the trash as he was in the bathroom.

Once Keith regained his ability to move his legs, he walked over to the closet and opened one of his dressers. Sitting on the floor was the opened luggage with Lance’s clean clothes. Keith dug inside and grabbed his pjs and then a set for himself.

Before he left the closet, he decided to empty out a drawer and leave it bare - just in case.

The weeks kept passing, homework, assignments, essays, and projects galore. Week by week, they lost themselves to the work, their passion, love, and Lance’s closet slowly moving into Keith’s apartment.

It wasn't until spring break did Lance realized what had happened.

<\\\>

_Lance: Babe? Have you seen my swimsuit?_

_Keith: It's in my closet. You never took you luggage back._

_Lance: okay, I'll come get it soon._

_Lance: …_

_Lance: Have you seen my comfy cargos?_

_Keith: My closet._

_Lance: …_

_Lance: And my baseball tee’s?_

_Keith: Closet_

_Lance: Are all my clothes in your closet? I can't seem to find anything except a misplaced sock._

_Keith: Not everything._

_Keith: I'm wearing your green jacket right now. It's perfect for when I change the AC really low._

_Lance: …_

_Lance: Did I move in?_

_Keith: Unofficially, I think so. When was the last time you didn't sleep over?_

_Lance: Um…_

_Lance: …_

_Lance: Hunk says since Colombia._

_Keith: Sounds about right._

_Lance: HOLY CRAP?! Seriously?!_

_Keith: You're apologizing to Hunk, aren't you?_

_Lance: I'M THE WORST ROOMMATE EVER! The whole point of college was so we could bro out independently for two years without our parents and now I've abandoned him._

_Keith: I'm sure he doesn't feel that way._

_Lance: He says he really doesn't notice cause A)I still come home for all my meals. B) The coffee maker still hasn't moved, so coffee still gets made with breakfast, C) I still pay my rent._

_Keith: You usually only come at night._

_Lance: OMG AM I A HORRIBLE BOYFRIEND?! DO I ONLY MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A BOOTY CALL?!_

_Keith: I didn't say that. I seriously wasn't complaining._

_Lance: T-T_

_Keith: Don't cry! I love my booty call, cub._

_Lance: I'M A BOOTY CALL?!_

_Keith: You're overreacting at this point._

_Lance: …_

_Keith: You do realize I join for dinner almost every night and then hang for a bit before we all get tired._

_Keith: Have you seriously not noticed our routine?_

_Lance: no…_

_Keith: Sigh… everything is fine Lance. None of us are disappointed in you._

_Lance: Hunk says you're right._

_Keith: See._

_Keith: Now finish up and come over._

_Lance: Impatient._

_Keith: Or being called a booty call makes me want that booty dancing as I play some guitar._

_Lance: I see you are picking up my lingo. And you just want an excuse to see my butt move._

_Keith: Guilty._

_Lance: I just have a few more things to pack and I'll be there._

_Lance: BTW, you sure you can’t come to the Keys with my family and me?_

_Keith: My parents finally decided we are gonna take a family vacation up north and hang together. They invited you to come but I told them you had plans._

_Lance: Aw! That's so sweet! Tell them thanks for the invite. Maybe next time!_

_Keith: Will do. Hurry up!_

_Lance: I'M RUSHING!_

<\\\>

Since their return from spring break, the remainder of their semester seemed to swirl into one endless loop of assignments, sighing, screaming, and drinking. Needing to get organized, the boys made some choices:

1) They decided to unofficially consider each other moved in.

2) As long as they met with Hunk and Pidge for breakfast and dinner everyday.

3) Lance still payed rent to Hunk.

4) Hunk got to make Lance’s room a gaming room. With Pidge’s help, they all ended up making it the raid room.

5) They ended up spending more weekends in Lance’s apartment raiding.

6) The room was perfect… too perfect.

7) It was so perfect they forgot to complete their final assignment.

8) Now, they looked down at their giant report and realized how horrible that room actually was to their education.

“This isn't what I expected,” said Lance as he looked at the giant piles of papers stacked and scattered around Keith’s apartment.

“This assignment is killing me!” complained Keith, rubbing his temples with frustration, “worst final project ever.”

“It's over eight hundred pages! How are we surviving this! We can do this! We just need to edit the book. That's it,” panicked Lance.

“I'll start editing the narratives and you handle the graphs. Remind me again why we didn't grab a third person for this assignment?”

“Cause we foolishly thought we could do this between the two of us.”

“Idiots.”

“Major…”

They split the workload and laid on the ground completing it. The Saturday evening was redeemed only with the addition of some ciders and a quick break at Hunk’s for dinner. When they returned, they sighed and went back to work.

“So, did you decided what you wanna do?” asked Lance.

“This entire chapter?” asked Keith.

“For your birthday in July! How many times do I have to ask?”

“How many times do I have to tell you I don't celebrate my birthday? You can visit me in Orlando and join me for lunch with my parents and Shiro.”

“Come on! There has to be something else we can do! We need to celebrate it. Plus,” Lance crawled over to Keith and placed his head on his lap, looking up with puppy eyes, “I won't see you for weeks until your birthday.”

Keith shook his head with a bright smile. He wanted to drop the papers in his hands and start tangling Lance’s hair between his fingers, but he knew if he put them down, he wouldn't pick them back up.

They both disliked what was about to happen to them in two weeks - finals week would come and go and both boys would head back home for the summer.

Lance would return to assist with the orange groves and help Ricardo and Natalie pack for their moves. Natalie wanted the family all together before she left for New York City come August and Ricardo had plans to move to the town beside Arcadia to attend a small technical school for mechanics.

It became a McClain family emergency to have everyone together as much as possible come end of semester.

For Keith, he never enjoyed going to school in the summer, using it as his excuse to make up for the time he didn't have a family and wanting to just be near his parents and sibling. Shiro would be in and out all summer, but he enjoyed cherishing their time together and willingly sacrificed his summers to be with them.

But both had something else they needed to give up this one summer - their ability to see each other everyday.

“How about, when you arrive, we go to Disney Springs or City Walk and just hang? Maybe go grab some drinks with the parent. My dad is entertaining tipsy.”

“Yeah! See that's way better! Okay! That’s a start!”

“Start? That's the only plan… Lance, don't get me a present.”

“I'm sorry. I can't hear you.”

Keith caved in and put down his papers, taking Lance’s ear and tugging it lightly, “No present!”

“Ouch! Come on! You're dating me, you should know I'm gonna do anything to see a smile on your face.”

“Then, listen to my request and no present.”

Lance stuck out his tongue, “I'll consider it. Fair?”

“No. I know you're not really considering it.”

Lance reached up and placed his hand on his cheek, “You know me so well.”

Keith started playing with Lance’s hair, tangling his fingers into the shortened of his brown locks. He lost himself to a thought, something that had been bothering him for sometime.

“Lance… I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything for you, mothy.”

“Can you ask your parents if you can arrive a week late and come home with me the Wednesday after finals week?”

“Yeah. I can. I'll have to figure out a way home.”

“I'll drive you if it's necessary, but I really need you home with me that day.”

Lance noticed the sadness that took over Keith’s features. Concerned with sudden change, he sat up and lifted Keith’s face to look directly at him, “What’s so important about that day?”

Keith took a deep breath, “It's the anniversary of my parents death… I always like to spend it with my family and they always just kind of stay near me. It helps me cope and, well… I want you to be there too.”

Lance reached for Keith and embraced him, “Of course, babe! I know my parents will understand for that. I'll always be there to support you.”

Keith smiled and pulled Lance closer, “Thanks, cub.”

Lance pulled back and brushed the hair off Keith’s face. He admired the glisten in his eyes and the tint of purple that always reflected no matter the amount of light in the room. He leaned in and kissed him, supporting him with the use of no words.

In each other’s embrace they felt whole and everything seemed to simply feel right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Voltron vs Galra was fun. lmao. Pidge in a BB-8 dress is my everything. <3
> 
> I'm super excited for next chapter. Its time to learn more about Keith, his family, and the Fosters. <3
> 
> ["Eavesdrop" - KLangst 2017 Fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10468242) - I wrote this and posted it this week. Enjoy!
> 
>  
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT IS A MIRACLE THAT I WROTE THIS! 
> 
> Work has been really hectic AND my co-author roped me into starting our next fic after Wingman. I hate that I lost so much track of time, but the giant piles of work I've been taking home have been deadly (Don't go into American Education if you can avoid it... I love my work, but I'm tired). 
> 
> Please enjoy! 
> 
> You will need this for this chapter:  
> "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - The Beatles (LOVE Version) [Link](https://youtu.be/VJDJs9dumZI)

Finals week ended. The group gathered together for a farewell evening of dinner and a live show at a nearby concert club. The whole night, Lance held Keith in his arms behind him, dancing along with the music and teasing every so often with a causal rolling of his hips. Each time he did it, Keith would bit his tongue and pay Lance back by gathering him a drink and sneaking up behind him, singing along with the band into Lance’s ear.

“You sing better than that guy,” commented Lance as he shivered from the thrill of Keith’s breath against the back of his neck and the sweet voice of Keith’s.

“Yeah, well, outside of private shows for you, I doubt I will ever make many public appearances again.”

They turned to watch Pidge dancing along with Allura. Giving in to her new embarrassments, she held a cider in her hand as she drank (thanks to her fake ID). The boys found the free flowing hippy version of Pidge interesting but, best of all, she was having fun before the big separation.

It was something commonly known that was never spoken - out of all of them, Pidge disliked being apart from the group the most.

“Lance, you riding with me tomorrow or you finally heard from your parents,” asked Hunk.

“Naw, parents said I can stay with Keith for the week. I'll be there the following. Once I'm there, you and me are off roading. It's been too long!”

“For sure!” They gave each other a high five before Keith rolled back from the bar with Matt and Pidge, hugging Lance from behind.

“Man, I remember when I was watching your shows,” commented Shiro to Keith.

“Yeah?”

“Heck ya!” shouted Matt, “we were huge fans.”

Keith laughed and shook his head. Lance replied, “So, he wasn't kidding with being a popular band?”

“Not a lie at all,” replied Matt, “within four neighborhood schools the Fosters were huge!”

“I wouldn't say huge…” replied Keith.

“You guys had steady gigs for four local high schools. One of them our rival school,” answered Shiro.

Keith couldn't reply back, “That's not huge.”

“Mothy! That sounds like you were pretty popular,” said Lance.

“Based off what I saw in Colombia, you’re pretty talented. I can only image you with a band,” added Hunk.

Keith blushed at all the compliments, not used to hearing so many nice comments. He placed his forehead on Lance’s back and held him close.

“You okay?” whispered Lance.

“Yeah - I just…” he closed his eyes and smiled, “I just really miss my first family.”

<\\\>

_Pidge: Enjoy your summer vacation!_

_Lance: Thanks Pidge! When I'm in Orlando, we need to hang._

_Pidge: Yes please._

_Pidge: …_

_Pidge: …_

_Pidge: When you head to Orlando on Wednesday, don't question Keith’s silence. As long as he doesn't lock himself away, he’s fine._

_Pidge: It's the hardest day of the year for him. Allow him to take the lead._

_Lance: ^_^_

_Lance: Thanks Pidge. I'll remember that._

_Pidge: I've never said this._

_Pidge: AND THIS WILL BE THE ONLY TIME I WILL ADMIT THIS!_

_Pidge: But, I'm happy you guys found each other. Hunk and I talked recently and I had been so worried that Keith would forever trap himself in his loneliness._

_Pidge: I don't think anyone else but you could have opened him up._

_Lance: PIDGE!!!!!!!!!! T-T_

_Lance: <Image Sent> _

_Pidge: I figured you'd cry… but I mean it. Take care of my other brother._

_Lance: ALWAYS!_

_ <\\\> _

Lance was surprised that Keith offered him to ride with Shiro instead of in his bike, “It’s over an hour. Figured you'd be more comfortable.” Although the concern was true, the actual truth lingered with Keith’s inability to think straight on this day.

Two things were certain: today was going to be hard and today was made worse knowing that tomorrow he would drive Lance home and away from him.

The pressure of both thoughts kept weighing on Keith’s mind, which meant logic about the emotional and stable connection they had was jammed in his mind.

“Shiro is carrying all our bags, including the ones I'm taking to Arcadia. Plus, I’d rather ride with you.” He leaned closer to Keith and gave him a quick, but loving kiss. There was no point in being too forward with the many warnings Pidge and Shiro had been giving him.

Keith gave a small - very small - grin and then handed Lance his helmet. Shiro gave the thumbs up from his car and they all took off to Orlando, looking back at _The V_ only once.

It was astonishing to think that almost a year had passed since Lance and Hunk moved it. It really is amazing what a year can do.

The ride was quiet, but with the helmets and wind, it's not like they would have been able to speak in the first place. When they arrived at Keith and Shiro’s home in Orlando, it already seemed welcoming. Lance remembered the last time he had been in their home and it embarrassed him a bit to remember.

“Come on,” Keith grabbed Lance’s hand and tangled their fingers together. He could feel a slight tremble in Keith’s grip but allowed Keith to take the led. Keith opened the door and shouted for his parents.

They came walked in from the living room and kitchen, each taking considerable care to hold Keith a little longer.

When they saw Lance, they welcomed him with open arms and greeted him back into their home. “Please, sit anywhere,” said Midori, “I have some snacks you can all enjoy. Cheddar and sour cream chips.”

“My favorite,” softly smiled Keith.

She placed a hand on his cheek, “I know.”

Henry helped Shiro with the luggage as Midori grabbed the bag of chips and served them in a bowl.

Lance hadn't expected to feel so awkward in the house. He had been there the night of their first date and enjoyed a pleasant breakfast, but something was different now.

He knew what it was, but he didn't want to acknowledge it.

His focus broke when Keith took his hand and silently started dragging him up stairs. Stumbling up the steps, Lance didn't really understand how he made it to Keith’s room in one piece.

Keith refused to let him go, closing the door behind him and pulling Lance onto the bed. They laid in silence for a bit before Lance realized something, “Pidge told me not to let you lock yourself in your room. Let’s go.” Lance attempted to get up, but Keith pulled him back and moved closer for a hug.

“That’s why I brought you in here, so that I am not alone.”

Lance grinned and rolled his eyes, pulling Keith closer and holding him as they laid in bed, “You can’t keep me here all day.”

“I can try.”

“You will fail.”

“I know I will. That’s why I brought you in here.”

They heard a knock on the door. Lance sat up and leaned against the headrest as Keith stood up to answer the door. Shiro stood at the opposite side, “Figured you might want this. Mom and dad will be down stairs whenever you’re ready. I’m going to Skype Allura in London while I can.” He placed his hand on Keith’s head and rubbed it, “Don’t stay here too long.”

Keith grinned and took his guitar case from Shiro before closing and locking the door. He slowly took out the guitar from the case and strummed the strings a bit before sitting on the bed.

“You going to play?”

“Eventually. For now, I’ll just play with the strings and eventually the song will come again.” He did just that, playing random notes as they spoke.

“Is this it?”Lance wondered, “I’m not trying to be rude but I’ve been kind of nervous about today.”

“Why were you nervous?”

“Well, I thought that maybe this was going to be different. I guess I over thought it.”

“You didn’t,” he kept playing, “I’m just calmer about it now. Much more than I used to be.”

“Tell me…”

“When I was in foster care, I would completely shut down this day. I would fight anyone who tried to come near me. The guys had to protect others from me that day over the years. They knew better than to question my behaviors. Once I was with my current parents, they tried to help me through it. Once I was adopted, we went with this. A quiet evening at home where we would just be here with each other. Last year Allura joined us and she was really sweet. She helped out my mom and kept close to me when I was in the living room. I realized, I liked having someone else around. Which is why I asked you this year. You make me happy, so I need a rock to hold me down.”

“I’m your rock?” Lance smiled.

“My boulder,” he giggled.

Lance snuggled against Keith as Keith kept playing with his guitar. They stayed in this position for an hour, neither speaking, but knowing it wasn’t needed. Lance enjoyed the comfort of Keith beside him, never having been so in sync with someone that he found no need to break the silence.

Then he heard a rhythm, a set of notes that took a familiar tone. He looked to Keith. His expression changed, serious and down, as he began to play a song. The chords to “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by The Beatles began to play. He looked to his guitar and began to sing the heartbreaking lyrics.

“ _I look at you all see the love there that's sleeping/While my guitar gently weeps/I look at the floor and I see it needs sweeping/Still my guitar gently weeps…_ ”

Keith sang to the best of his ability, reminding Lance how much he wished more would see the talent of his boyfriend, but this performance was different. He could tell, this was never meant to be seen.

Lance would be its only witness.

“ _I don't know why nobody told you how to unfold your love/I don't know how someone controlled you/They bought and sold you…_ ”

Keith’s voice kept steady and his fingers moved without much thought. Every year it was the same. He would come home. He would lock himself into his room.

Every year he would sing this song.

It became his one moment of peace. He felt the connection back to his parents, searching his mind for a memory of them - anything that wasn’t the bloodshed of their final moment.

“ _I look at the world and I notice it's turning/While my guitar gently weeps/With every mistake we must surely be learning/Still my guitar gently weeps…_ ”

His hair flipped over his eyes, covering them from Lance’s sight. He wanted to see them as he saw Keith’s jaw start to tremble. Desperately, Lance wanted to read Keith’s mind. He wanted to know what he was thinking, the emotions that were taking over him, but for now all he could do was watch and listen.

He knew that’s all Keith wanted.

“ _I don't know how you were diverted/You were perverted too/I don't know how you were inverted/No one alerted you…_ ”

It happened so quickly. Keith lost a note as he sang, allowing a tear to fall from his eyes down to his guitar. Lance reached over, placing his fingers underneath Keith’s chin and turning him to face him. The violet of his eyes shimmered against the tears. The red of his cheeks and the sorrow of his face. With a slight grin, Keith continued.

Every year he would sing this song.

Every year he would try and connect back to his parents.

And from this point forward, every year he would have Lance to remind him that everything would be okay.

“ _I look at you all, see the love there that's sleeping/I look from the wings at the play you are staging/While my guitar gently weeps/As I'm sitting here doing nothing but aging/Still my guitar gently weeps…_ ”

Keith played the final chords of the song and then rested his hand on the base of the guitar. Lance hadn’t removed his gently hold of Keith’s waiting for him to say something. To his surprised, Keith put the guitar on the floor beside the bed and grabbed Lance’s neck.

They kissed. Lance could feel the tears against Keith’s cheeks, but he lost himself to the love that spilled out of him. With a heavy breath, Keith pulled back and rested their foreheads together. “I love you…” he whispered.

Lance grinned, “I love you.”

“I like to think they would have approved of you. I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately. I wonder what they would say to you or how you would interact with them. I wonder how your parents would get along with them and your family. Maybe I would have had a sibling and they could have been friends with Ricardo and Armando. I just like to think about it… but then, just now, it came to me. I don’t need to wonder. I have all of that now. I have parents who love you. I have a brother who worked hard to make sure I didn’t let you slip away. I have friends and I have you. In some way, I think that’s how I know they approve. They guided me to be here… It’s strange.”

“No,” Lance rustled his fingers into Keith’s hair, “I completely get it.” They kissed again and stayed in each other’s embrace until Keith was ready to go back to his family.

Holding hands, they found Shiro and Kenji watching _Dancing with the Stars_ off the DVR. Lance winced slightly but didn’t say much else. Keith chuckled to himself, which grabbed the attention of his father and sibling.

“Finally out,” commented Shiro. Seeing the two holding hands gave him faith that Keith did what he needed to do to make the day easier.

“Yeah. Do you mind if we watch something else,” asked Keith for Lance’s sake.

“Don’t do that , mothy, it’s fine.”

“Why? You don’t like this show?” asked Kenji.

“I used to be a professional dancer, but I quit cause I hated the competition aspect of it all.”

“I didn’t know you danced,” said Midori as she walked in from her office.

Lance rubbed the back of his neck, “Yeah, I used to.”

“A dancer and a singer. What an interesting pair,” commented Kenji, “I’ll change the channel. It’s no problem.”

“No please, don’t do that for my sake. I’ll watch. Really, it wouldn’t hurt,” replied Lance.

Just then, another dancer ripped his shirt opened as the female dancer rapidly shook her hips. In unison, the four men tilted their heads and pleasantly enjoyed the view.

“Well, that wasn’t allowed in my competitions. I think I can get through this.”

Keith laughed and shoved Lance into the living room to sit on the couch. Miori went into the kitchen to grab the chips and sat on her chair as they all watched the show together. Routine after routine, Keith noticed Lance get more into the show. By the time they got half way through, he was criticizing like the judges, sometimes a bit more harshly.

“Completely agree! That form was completely off!” he shouted at the T.V.

“How so,” asked Midori, “the dance was really pretty.”

“Yeah, but the form ruined the elegance of the fox trot. Here, I will show you.” He stood up and reached for Midori’s hand. Positioning them, he guided her to stand correctly, “Okay, so this is how they looked,” he guided her to stand incorrectly, “My lines aren’t straight and it comes out sloppy when you transition from step to step, but then you adjust it,” Lance fixed their positions, “It looks cleaner, more fluid.”

Keith had never seen Lance stand so well posed and positioned. It was the first time he saw how talented Lance was with professional ballroom dance. To demonstrate, he moved Midori across the living room floor into a swirl.

“Oh! Yes, I can sense the difference,” she replied.

“You really are good at this,” said Shiro.

“Years of practice doesn’t just go away. It was my passion at one point.” Lance smiled and kissed Midori’s hand as a thank you for the dance.

She blushed lightly and took back her seat, “I would like to learn more if you ever have the time.”

“Sure. I wouldn’t mind.” He smiled as Keith pulled him back to his seat beside him and wrapped an arm around his waist. It felt comfortable to be affectionate in front of his own family, knowing none of them judged him and loved the person he considered his partner.

They finished the show and then decided it was time for dinner. Midori began to roll up her sleeves to make dinner, but then Keith stopped her. “Mom, let’s go out this time. I’d like to show Lance a little bit of Orlando.”

She smiled, “If that is what you want.”

They all jumped into Kenji’s car and drove out towards a small plaza a mile away from the house. It was a small ramen shop, owned by a local Japanese family. Entering, all they heard was people speaking in Japanese and a small television playing an anime with subtitles. They took a seat and were greeted with menus.

“This is cute!” said Lance.

“It’s my favorite place to eat. This is the first place Shiro took me to when I moved into the house,” commented Keith, “over there they have a whole library of manga in original Japanese. I can’t read any of it, but it’s cool to look at.”

“Plus, the food here is all housemade, just like they would do in Japan,” added Shiro.

“Only place in town that reminds me of my mother’s ramen,” said Kenji.

Looking over the menu, Keith helped Lance make his order as he was overwhelmed by all the options. Midori ordered a bottle of sake for the table.

When the bottle arrived, they all poured themselves a small cup and held them up. Shiro said, “To better tomorrows. Living for today. And growing families.” They tapped their glasses together and enjoyed the drink.

With time, the food arrived as they talked about school, the struggles of the eight hundred page project they barely finished on time and plans for the summer. Lance invited the family to visit his home at some point and Midori quickly started looking through her calendar to pick a date.

“I’m going to hate the summer without you,” commented Lance as he took another large bite of his ramen. The taste out of this world, “I mean, I’m excited to be with my family, but I got so used to seeing you everyday.”

“We can video chat,” said Keith, “and I do want to visit at least once. And you’re coming back for my birthday.”

“Yeah! But it’s not the same! I’m used to seeing you when I wake up and when I go to sleep.”

“Excuse me?” said Kenji.

Keith stopped mid-chew, noodles hanging from his mouth down to the bowl, “I - I - um - never mentioned that Lance and I pretty much live together?”

“No! Excuse me, young man, but that is not something you just do!”

“I - we just kind of did it!”

“Shiro waited two years to live with Allura and even then, they have a roommate still and she has her own room.”

Shiro coughed into his soup, “Yeah…”

“Oh no! If I’m going down, so are you!” commanded Keith, “tell them or I will.”

“Shiro,” commanded Kenji.

“Allura and I share a room, but it shouldn’t be a problem. We’ve been together for so long…”

“You are not married!” commented Midori, “and you haven’t even bought her a ring! I want grandchildren!”

Keith lifted his fist up to Lance, fist bumping their victory of diverting the conversation to Shiro. Shiro growled at them, but then Midori continued, “Don’t you two think you’ve gotten away with this either! I have the same expectations from the two of you! This living together needs to stop. Sharing a bed day to day is left for the married!”

“Mom, you do realize a lot of couples move in together before…” said Keith.

“I don’t care! You are my son and I will not have these modern views ruin good relationships.”

Shiro and Keith groaned as she continued to lecture them on living such free lives without thinking of the consequences of how it can damage their relationship. The two looked to each other, knowing there was no point in arguing back, but when Lance’s hand grabbed Keith’s from under the table, it became clear that in the end the lecture was simply showing how much she loved her children.

Walking back to the car after paying, Keith, Lance, and Shiro hung back to have a quick word behind their parents. “I’m not changing anything, are you?” asked Shiro.

Keith looked to Lance and smiled, “Nope. Don’t want to.” Lance leaned in and gave him a kiss.

They got in the car and started to drive around town. They gave Lance a small tour, showing him around the different areas of Orlando he lived over his years in foster care, his elementary school, and a final stop at his high school. When the drove past the high school, Keith smiled with nostalgic memories of his friends. Taking out his phone he texted them.

<//>

_(Group Chat: The Fosters)_

_Keith: <Image Sent> _

_Keith: Went to the high school today. Good times._

_Barry: Hell ya! I miss performing on that stage._

_Garth: It was a strange set of years, but worth every mistake and experience._

_Matt: It’s insane to think how far away it feels when it was only a few years ago._

_Keith: I just miss it. I miss being able to hang._

_Matt: And play._

_Garth: Perform_

_Barry: Just be us. Best friends._

_ <//> _

Keith showed Lance the conversation and it sparked a question, “Didn’t you say you have pictures of you with the Fosters.”

Shiro’s ear twitched, “What? You haven’t seen the band photos. Back home, dad, we have to show Lance something important.”

Keith laughed and leaned his head on Lance’s shoulder, “Big… fan…”

“Number one fan, thank you!” commented Shiro.

They arrived back home and Shiro immediately went to the yearbooks and a box of pictures on a bookshelf. He laid out the pictures on the dining table as Lance took a seat. He started looking through the images, finally pleased to see the faces of Keith’s best friends.

“That’s Garth,” pointed Keith to a tall and strong dark brown man. His hair was pulled back into a small bun as he rocked the guitar and the microphone. “That’s Matt,” he pointed to the bassist, long blond hair braided to the back against his nearly pink skin. “And that’s Barry.”  He pointed to the drummer, short undercut hair, skinny, with beige skin.

“But look at you!” Lance said, lifting a picture of Keith rocking his guitar, black hair all over his face, as he sang into a microphone, “You look so sexy!”

Midori and Kenji laughed at the comment as Keith blushed. “Babe!”

“What? You do! I mean, look!” Lance kept flipping through the pictures, enjoying the smile on Keith’s face, the look each member of the band gave each other, and the ecstasy of being on stage. “You guys look like you’re having the time of your life.”

“We did. That band meant everything to us.”

“They were so good! I loved watching them. Matt and I never missed a show. Garth was my favorite, no offense.”

“None taken. I know how you love metal music.”

“Really? I never thought of you as a metal fan,” said Lance.

Shiro laughed, “Yeah, Matt and I used to go to a lot of different concerts together. It's how Pidge and Keith finally met. We forced them to spend time together.”

“And she hasn't left my side since,” giggled Keith.

They kept looking through the pictures, Keith smiling at every memory he retold. More than anything he wanted that moment back. He wanted to relive being on stage with his best friends, entertaining an audience and feeling the rush of having some power over a crowd.

“You would have been a groupie. I'm sure of it,” joked Keith to Lance.

“Yeah, but who says I would have been yours,” he joked back.

“Please, look at me.” Keith lifted a picture of him, glistening with sweat, lost in the passion of his performance, “You would have drooled all over me.”

“I already do.”

Returning his gaze to the pictures, Keith released a heavy sigh. His smile, crooked, yet slightly sad. Even with all the memories, the knowledge that he hadn't been near all of them for years pained him.

“I would do anything to live this just one more time,” he whispered, unaware that he spoke his thoughts aloud.

“Yeah?” said Lance reaching to hold his hand.

Keith squeezed back, “Yeah.”

The night went on and they looked over a few more pictures before yawning and noticing the time. Keith cleaned up the pictures, taking his time to look over each one one more time.

As he put the box away, Lance embraced him from behind, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah… thanks for coming. It really helped me to get through it.”

“Anything for you mothy. You mean everything to me.”

“You're my universe, cub.” He turned around in Lance’s arms and pulled him in for a sweet kiss, “Let’s go to bed.”

“Yeah.”

“Guest bedroom!”shouted Midori from the living room.

“Come on! You let him sleep with me last time!”

“Last time you both were drunk and I wasn't about to deal with that in two separate rooms.”

“Midori, just let them have tonight. They aren't going to see each other for a long time,” suggested Kenji.

She grumbled, “Fine. But be _respectful_ to my home!”

“Mom!” Keith blushed. Lance laughed and started walking to the bedroom.

Nestling onto the bed, the two boys stripped to their usual sleepwear and cuddled onto the bed, “We don't have to listen to them, you know.”

Keith replied, “Just shut up and kiss me.”

Lance did as ordered and the two spend the night in the throws of their love for each other, savoring the moment for the time they wouldn’t be together.

<\\\>

_(Group Chat: Team Mission F)_

_Lance: GUYS! I'm recruiting you for something important._

_Hunk: What’s up?_

_Pidge: Are you heading home?_

_Lance: Yeah, Keith is driving me now._

_Natalie: AND YOU DIDN'T VISIT ME WHILE YOU WERE IN ORLANDO!_

_Lance: it was a one day trip!_

_Natalie: Fine. What’s up?_

_Lance: I figured out what to get Keith for his birthday, but it's going to take more than me to get this accomplished._

_Pidge: He doesn't like presents._

_Lance: He’ll want this one._

_Hunk: Why do you need our help?_

_Lance: It's gonna take a lot of planning to get it accomplished. Hunk, since we’ll be together, you can help me on my end and Pidge, you and Natalie can take care of some of the stuff I'll need organized within Orlando._

_Natalie: What is so big that you’ll need so much help?_

_Lance: I'm going to give Keith the one thing he wants most in the world._

_Lance: I'm going to reunite The Fosters._

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SQUEE! I've been waiting for this. Keith deserves this. 
> 
> My campaign for "Lance #1 BF" begins now. :) Thank you all for your comments, kudos, and patience. <3  
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was able to write this one throughout the week. But work was still a pain in my butt (testing season in Florida sucks for both teachers and students!) 
> 
> Thank god KLance makes the world better. 
> 
> Here is the new chapter... REUNION TIME!!!!!!
> 
> You may need this: 
> 
> The Cure - Love Song [(x)](https://youtu.be/hXCKLJGLENs)

Kickstarter Title: The Fosters Reunion Concert

Summary: Hey everyone! My name is Lance and, with my friends, I am trying to get my boyfriend and his band back together for one night. Those in the Orlando area listen up! 

My goal is to get your favorite cover band back for one night of raw music and live kick assery!

Some background on “Where They Have Been?” During their late Junior year of high school, the popular band split up for various reasons but none of those reasons were their bond and friendship! These guys are STILL best friends, but life has gotten in the way and they have not been unable to see each other for years! 

I think you can all agree it's time to change that! 

So here is the proposal, donate some money so we can get these guys together one month before a sweet (and surprise) gig at the  _ Orange Ditch _ in downtown Orlando. Donate whatever you can, but the chart below shows some of the sweet stuff we were able to score if you are able to donate those amounts. 

These guys have NO IDEA THIS IS GOING ON! 

This is my effort of giving my boyfriend, one of two lead singers Keith Kogane, a birthday gift he would never forget. Nothing in the world would matter more than for him to see his lost brothers once again and as a treat to us fans, we set up a stage for them to play once again.

Please donate! We want to get The Fosters on stage once again! 

Thanks for any dollar you are able to give! I will post up progression videos and updates on this Facebook and Twitter page: (x) and (x).

THANKS SO MUCH FOR HELPING!

 

Dollar amount to reward:

$1-10: A giant thank you email!

$11-19: Ticket to the show.

$20-50: Two tickets to the show and four drink vouchers for the bar.

$51-100: Two tickets to the show and four drink vouchers for the bar and two band shirts OR three tickets and six vouchers.

$101 or more: four tickets, eight vouchers, four band shirts, and backstage passes to meet the band after the show for a private Q&A. 

 

Money will go towards: Flight tickets from around the nation for three of the band members to arrive in Orlando. Financial compensation to those who may lose money due to missing work. Deposit for renting the club for a private show. Deposit for merchandise. 

 

Extra tickets and merchandise will be sold at the club day of! Pre orders are only for those who donate. 

Thanks to  _ Orange Ditch _ for their first donation of a MAJOR discount on renting the club for the night and offering to provide all crew and equipment during the show.

Any extra money will be split between the members of the band as compensation for their performance and the venue for all their hard work.

 

Total number of donations: 1045

Total amount of money: $20,090

#

Facebook Feed:

_ June 3 - The Kickstarter is up! Please donate and pass the word around to fellow fans!  _

_ June 8 - Thanks guys! We hit our first 25 donors!   _

_ June 15 - Holy hell guys! Already jumped to 450! That's awesome! Thank you guys so much!  _

_ June 18 - Got a recent question about how many can the Orange Ditch hold - they are a 5,000 person venue! We were crazy lucky to get such a massive amount of space, but the owner is the father of a precious friend of Barry’s so he was super happy to help!  _

_ June 23 - OMFG! WHERE DID 800 PEOPLE COME FROM! Guys, the kind comments you're leaving behind with your donations have really made me realize how important this band was! I met Keith in college, so I never knew they had such a fan base! This is overwhelming!  _

_ June 24 - I now have gotten a lot of questions about Keith and me. Here is a picture of us on our first date at Disney! _

_ <Image Inserted> _

_ We haven't been together long, but I love the hell out of this guy! So I want to give him this one thing he wants more than anything else!  _

_ June 26 - YOU GUYS ARE MAKING ME BLUSH!!!! Stop with all the “You guys look cute together!” comments!  _

_ June 30 - WE ARE BUYING THE FLIGHT TICKETS TODAY! Will be posting a video of Skype reactions from Barry, Matt, and Garth!  _

_ July 1 - Here is their reaction video! PLUS 1000 donations! Omg guys! The amount of money is insane! (Link)  _

_ # _

Skype Chat Script:

Barry: What’s going on? Why did Tailor have us all Skype?

Matt: I don't know. Maybe he's gonna do something special for Keith.

Barry: Like what, a proposal?

Garth: TWO WEDDINGS! YES! 

Matt: Calm down! I doubt it's that.

Garth: Aw!

Lance: Hey guys! 

Matt, Barry, and Garth: Hey Tailor! 

Lance: Thanks for arranging to meet with me at once. So, I'm sending you each a link and I want you to carefully read it before I start talking.

(Silence as they each click and read the Kickstarter)

Garth: Holy shit!

Barry: No way!

Matt: Lance, is this for real?

Lance: one hundred percent! 

Matt: oh my god! Does Keith know yet?

Lance: nope! That's why I wanted to talk. First part of the additional surprise, Pidge made a few phone calls and emails to your places of work. They have already agreed to give you guys time off for one month. We have plenty of donations to give you the money you will lose during that time. The first day we are asking you to arrive is on Keith’s birthday. That's his surprise.

Matt: Lance! Do you know what this mean? 

Garth: I - I can't believe you did this! This is crazy! 

Lance: The fans have spoken and they want to see you guys again, but I promise it's not as much as Keith wants to see you all.

Barry: dude! These are real tears falling down my eyes.

Lance: and Garth, we have enough money to fly down Levi and Sam closer to the concert date.

Garth: Shit, shit, shit man! I can't believe any of this! 

Lance: Just learn to believe it. We are going to buy you flight tickets now and I'll email you your confirmation numbers! I can't wait to finally meet you all in person.

Matt: Thank you so much Lance! This really means a lot!

Barry: Yeah dude! This is like the nicest thing anyone has ever done for us.

Garth: Keith is a lucky man.

Lance: Thanks guys! Oh and say hi to the fans, I've been recording this! 

Matt, Barry, and Garth: What?! 

# 

Facebook Feed:

_ July 3 - OFFICIAL COUNTDOWN TO KEITH’S BIRTHDAY BEGINS! 10 days and The Foster will reunite! I'm so excited for them! This is insane! You know how hard it has been keeping my mouth shut when we video chat?! _

_ July 8 - 5 MORE DAYS!  _

_ July 12 - ONE MORE DAY! Driving to Orlando now to spend the weekend with Keith for his birthday. He has no idea!  _

_ July 12 - Super late at night and if he sees I did this he would kill me, but look at him sleep! He’s so innocent and has no clue!  _

_ <Image Inserted> _

_ July 13 - Pidge came down for breakfast as she's coming to the airport with us! Keith thinks we’re taking him to Disney Springs. SO WRONG! _

_ July 13 - he just reminded me not to get him a present… OOPS!  _

_ # _

Keith sat in the passenger seat, watching out the window, holding Lance’s hand. He hadn't realized how much he had missed Lance until he walked through the door the night before. Anytime his mind went to remembering how much time he wasted not being near Lance, he would lift Lance’s hand and kiss it.

“Will you stop being so gross!” Pidge complained from the back seat, “some of us are trying to keep our breakfast down.”

Keith chuckled, “You could have stayed home.”

“No way! It's your birthday! I wasn't gonna miss it,” she smiled.

Keith kept watching outside the window until he realized something, “Cub, this isn't the way to…”

“Pidge now!” shouted Lance. Without further warning, Pidge leaped from the back seat and blindfolded Keith.

“What the hell?!”

“Don't touch it or I'll stab you!” warned Pidge.

“What is going on?!”

“This is part of your birthday surprise. You really didn't think I actually listened, did you?” replied Lance. 

Keith crossed his arms and huffed, “Lance, I really meant it when I said…”

“No, no! This is something I can not take back it's too late now. So either you enjoy it or you can complain about it later. Although I doubt you will.”

The moment the blindfold was on Keith’s face, Pidge started recording everything on her phone. As they drove up to the airport, Pidge texted the three boys to start heading to the meetup spot. Parking the car, Lance and Pidge carefully walked Keith through the parking garage and into the airport.

“Are we at an airport?” Keith stumbled at his feet.

“Maybe,” replied Lance. He gave the signal to go get the others. She handed him a giant poster and ran off. Lance got his phone ready to record the reaction. “Alright, mothy, I need you to stand right there and don't move.”

“Lance, can you please remove the blindfold?”

“It's just one minute. First, hold this up for me.”

“Is this a poster? Are you playing some prank on me?!”

“Can you just trust me?!” Lance recorded the blindfolded Keith holding a sign that read  _ I’m about to reunite with my family: The Fosters. _

After getting the footage he needed he finally spoke again, “Alright, go ahead and remove the blindfold and read the sign.”

Keith removed the blindfold and raised an eyebrow when he saw Lance was recording him.

Then, he turns the poster and read it. His hands started shaking, breath becoming short, as tears started to well in his eyes, “Lance… this isn't funny! Don't do this!”

“It's not a joke.”

“Lance… don't lie to me…”

“I'm not.”

Keith gasped as behind Lance he saw Garth, Matt, and Barry walking towards him. He sprinted, dropping the sign on the floor and not caring about his emotionally wrecked tears. The other three did the same, leaving their bags with Pidge as they met in a warm embrace.

“Oh my fucking god! I can't believe this! Holy shit!” cried Keith.

“Guys, I'm touch you! I'm touching you!” cried Garth.

“Don't ruin this!” laughed Barry. 

They backed away and stood in a circle, not comprehending being in the same room again. “This is insane!” said Keith.

“I can't believe Lance did all of this,” said Matt.

“What?” replied Keith.

“Yeah, Lance set this all up. Dude, we are here for a whole month!” replied Garth.

“How…”

“And,” added Lance as he approached, “I got your guys a one night gig a month from now! We’ve already sold over a thousand tickets!”

“What?!” exclaimed Keith.

“I still can't believe any of this,” said Barry.

Keith couldn't remove his gaze from Lance. The tears of joy falling down his face as Lance turned to face the camera, “There you have it guys! The Fosters have been reunited! One month until the show. Thank you all for your donation and your kind… oh!” Lance’s video was cut short and Keith attacked him to the ground, kissing him passionately.

Pidge recorded with her phone, giggling loudly.

Keith’s lips savored every last drop of Lance’s taste, wanting to remember this moment forever. When he pulled back, a pleased and dazed Lance looked up at him, “Does this mean I've changed your mind on getting you presents from now on?”

“Totally. But only cause I know you'll never beat this one.”

“Yeah. I know.”

Keith leaned down again and kissed him before he heard a loud cough hovering above him. They parted lips and looked up. “An appropriate introduction would be nice,” joked Garth.

Lance giggled as Keith stood off him and helped him to his feet. As they stood, Keith immediately wrapped his arm around Lance’s waist, “Matt, Garth, Barry, this is Lance. The best boyfriend in the world.”

The three men laughed. “Nice to finally meet you Tailor,” replied Matt.

“Not to rush, but I'm kind of hungry. Want to hit up that Pho place we used to go to?” asked Barry.

“Yes! Please! It's been years!” begged Garth.

“Sounds like fun,” smiled Lance, “Pidge, food?”

“Totally!” she smiled, waving her hand in the air as she kept recording.

Barry scratched the side of his neck, “Hey Keith… is Pidge single?”

Keith grabbed Barry’s ear and tugged it down, “Not happening. Not her.” 

Barry groaned as the others laughed. “Man, it feels like high school all over again. Come on, let's go!” exclaimed Matt as they walked back to Pidge to get their bags.

#

Sitting in the small restaurant, they all enjoyed their hot bowls of Pho. Garth’s bowl glowed a bright red, having placed every bottle of spice inside of the broth. He kept sweating as the others giggled, but knew not to question his obsession with spice.

“When did you decide to get the Prompto haircut?” asked Barry to Matt.

“Shut up!”

“Dude, you seriously look like Prompto from Final Fantasy. I mean you even spiked it up,” added Keith.

“Well, I like the look! It works well for work,” replied Matt.

“Oh yeah, Keith said you are in fashion,” said Lance.

“Yeah. I work for a small rock and goth fashion company in manhattan called  _ Shove It _ . I brought some of our clothes as ideas for the concert.”

“Awesome! I hadn't even thought about what you guys would wear,” said Lance.

“I'm not letting us get on that stage without some good outfits. We are not looking like we did in high school. Our presentation needs to be flawless.”

“I get that,” said Garth, “how are we even gonna practice. I mean, it's been years.”

“I got that covered. Your music director will be meeting us for dinner today. She has found a place for you guys to rehearse on her school campus,” said Lance.

“She?” asked Keith. Pidge started giggling.

“Natalie!”

“Your sister? Seriously?”

“What?! Do you not like Natalie?!” Lance started to pout.

“No! I love Natalie! I'm just surprised she would help.”

“Seriously! She loves you! When I told her, she jumped at the chance.”

“Really?” Keith smiled with a small blush, “you put a lot of thought into this.”

“I wanted it to be perfect.”

“He’s a demanding leader,” Pidge slippered her Pho, “but I have to say it all worked really well. The merchandise Hunk is working on is pretty bad ass.”

“This is seriously too much,” said Matt, “I never expected this many people liked us or even want to see us again.”

“It's unreal,” added Keith.

“I'm not shocked. We’re awesome,” chuckled Garth.

“Yeah, but you always had a hot head,” said Barry as he shoved Garth’s shoulder. 

“Ugh! Don’t move me. The spice is making me weak!” 

They all laughed, continuing with their conversations and enjoying each other’s company. Lance couldn’t picture a better moment. The light that shined out of Keith’s eyes as he talked and laughed, spending time with his brothers, made Lance realize that Keith had something wrong about his past - he had always had family. 

They were each other’s family. 

Finishing the meals with boba tea, they lounged back in their seats, talking about the foolishness they used to get into back in their foster home and at school. Lance’s favorite story was when they pranked their caregiver by adding more soap to the laundry machine and using it as an excuse to have a bubble party while cleaning it up. 

“They were everywhere! I had never seen so much soap in my life!” laughed Matt. 

“The look on Ms. Caren’s face! Oh man, she never let us forget it,” smiled Keith. 

Pidge sucked up the last of her tea before ordering a second one, “It’s a shame you guys aren’t able to meet more often. This would be fun to do more.” 

“Well, I’ll be moving back to Orlando after my internship in the fall,” said Barry as he leaned his chin on his hand and gazed only at Pidge, “we can hang out once I move back in.” 

“I’m still mostly in Tampa, until I finish college,” she giggled. 

“That’s only an hour away. I’ll come visit both of you. Maybe I can room with you as to not disturb the lovebirds.” 

Barry suddenly screamed in pain as Keith stomped on his foot and held it down, “You will stay on my couch, you fend.” 

Barry groaned, “Message received.” 

“At least you’re moving back. Levy and I are pretty much stuck until she’s done with school,” said Garth. 

“And after that?” asked Matt. 

“Actually, we were thinking of New York. Levy is practicing to be a lawyer, so she wants to see about getting into a school in the city.”

“Yes! That would be perfect!” commented Lance. They all looked at him funny, “That way each of you at least have one of the other and it would be easier to visit, right?” 

“Yeah, I guess,” shrugged Keith, “I’ve always wanted to go see New York City.” 

“Same,” added Barry. 

“Aw! You guys are becoming a family again!” shouted Lance. 

“Cub, calm down. Although I appreciate it.” Keith leaned in and kissed Lance on the cheek. Immediately, the three other boys made gagging noises. 

“Who is this person?” asked Garth. 

“Possessed! I told you to bring holy water!” joked Matt. 

“Keith! We shall remove the soul possessing you body!” added Barry.

“Will you guys stop making that joke!” laughed Keith. 

They all laughed, “Just never saw this happening for you. Hermitting yes, but this, never,” said Barry. 

“That’s what I told him,” said Pidge. 

“See, Pidge, we have so much in common.” Barry was met by Keith’s foot again. 

Lance snuggled closer to Keith, tapping his knee to release Barry of his hold and pay attention to him, “As long as there are no regrets, all is good.” 

“All is perfect.” 

“Happy birthday, mothy.” Keith leaned in and gave Lance a sweet kiss, met again with the gags of the group. 

<//>

_ Keith: U-turn _

_ Lance: Keith, I stayed for a whole week.  _

_ Keith: I don’t care. U-turn. _

_ Lance: I just left the driveway! I’m literally sitting in the stop sign right outside your house.  _

_ Keith: U-TURN! _

_ Lance: Keith… _

_ Keith: Yeah, I know.  _

_ Keith: Thank you, for everything.  _

_ Lance: You’ve thanked me plenty of times this week… and again this morning.  _

_ Keith: If you U-turn, I’ll thank you again.  _

_ Lance: STOP TRYING TO TEMPT ME!!!!! _

_ Keith: I can see your car from my window. Are you considering turning back? _

_ Lance: No, I’m sitting here waiting for this text conversation to end so I can start driving. I don’t text and drive… but I’m patient and want to chat one more time (also, considering U-turning) _

_ Keith: I honestly am still in disbelief of all this. It’s crazy how you set this all up. And that money? I never imagined. _

_ Lance: I never thought it would be that much either, but Pidge kept insisting we would be fine if we did it as a Kickstarter and she was right. _

_ Keith: As usual. lol _

_ Lance: It was all worth it seeing that smile. I’ve never seen you so happy.  _

_ Keith: That’s a lie.  _

_ Lance: What?! Name one time you were happier than that moment you saw them again.  _

_ Keith: This morning when I looked into your tired and loving eyes.  _

_ Lance: shvgahrgohsfgh kvhndfka ogh bnafnb _

_ Lance: OMFG YOU BROKE ME!  _

_ Lance MOTHY!!!!!!! _

_ Keith: I love you.  _

_ Keith: Seriously, nothing can beat that feeling.  _

_ Keith: Nothing.  _

_ Lance: jsgoi shetihgsktrhgisehgntghskignabm  bh thn _

_ Lance: …  _

_ Lance: I love you. See you soon. _

_ Keith: Not soon enough. _

_ <//> _

Facebook feed: 

_ July 20 - Already home and missing my bf! Thanks everyone for all the comments on the surprise video! The guys literally read all of them and teared up! This means so much to them. _

_ July 23 - Check out some of the merchandise my best bud Hunk has ordered for you all to purchase! It's awesome! _

_ <Image Attached> _

_ July 27 - The Kickstarter has been closed. We seriously have enough money! Thanks guys so much. One week before the show Orange Ditch will start selling tickets on their website for will call.  _

_ <Link Attached> _

_ July 30 - Just heard from the music direction! The Fosters are making a music video to tease at what they’ve been working on. Concert is on Aug 15! Video coming soon! _

_ Aug 1 - Look at these amazing band photos! Holy hell! My bf looks so HOT!!!!!  _

_ <Images Attached> _

_ Aug 2 - Yeah I know! I'm super lucky! Thanks everyone for all your comments! It's really motivating the guys!  _

_ Aug 3 - The Fosters are coming over to my farm in Arcadia. Anyone interested in a live Skype interview? Start shooting me some questions!  _

_ <\\\> _

_ Natalie: I know you said you didn’t want to watch any videos of them performing, but you should watch this one. _

_ Natalie: <Video Sent> _

_ Lance: No! I want to be surprised. I’ll post it on the Facebook page however.  _

_ Lance: The band pictures were awesome BTW. Thank your friend for me.  _

_ Natalie: I will, but seriously, watch the video!  _

_ Natalie: They are really good! _

_ Lance: I know they are really good. I don’t need to listen or see a video to prove that. My bf is awesome on his own and I’m sure they are amazing together! _

_ Natalie: Damn it Lance, watch it! _

_ Lance: No! _

_ Natalie: WATCH IT! _

_ Lance: N _

_ Lance: O _

_ Lance: ! _

_ Natalie: UGH! _

_ <//> _

Weeks had passed since Lance had left Orlando. His mind clouded with knowing there would be only two more until he returned and one week until Keith, his family, and the band came to Arcadia to join Natalie and Markus’s farewell party. He sat on his bed, rereading the different orders of shirts and merchandise Hunk had left for him to review, until his phone rang. 

“Hey babe,” he said. 

“Watch the video,” commanded Keith. 

“I’m going to tell you the same -”

“It’s a song for you.”  

“What? Really?” His voice went up a pitch in excitement. 

“Yes. Now please watch it and good night.” There was a second of silence, “Miss you.” He hung up. 

Lance laughed as he opened up the video and started to play it. Leaning back on the bed, he pressed play. The moment he heard the first chord, he knew the song. He grinned, already tapping his foot to the music as Keith appeared on the video. 

It felt unreal. Whoever recorded and edited the video made it look like a real music video - then Lance realized it was a real music video. 

The four appeared so united and connected, meant to be together on stage as a band. Nothing felt more natural as Keith started singing the song.

“ _ Whenever I'm alone with you/You make me feel like I am home again/Whenever I'm alone with you/You make me feel like I am whole again/Whenever I'm alone with you/You make me feel like I am young again/Whenever I'm alone with you/You make me feel like I am fun again... _ ”

Lance lost himself. He could see Garth’s skills with the guitar, Matt’s smoothness with the bass, and Barry’s perfect beat with the drums. Still, nothing beat the alluring nature of Keith’s voice. Lance wanted to bathe in it, feeling like a fan, as if he was untouchable, but then the chorus came and the way Keith looked into the camera sent the message he wanted Lance to see clearly. 

“ _ However far away/I will always love you/However long I stay/I will always love you/Whatever words I say/I will always love you/I will always love you... _ ”

Lance moved his hand over his lips, trying to hide the blush rising on his cheeks like a young teenage girl watching the video of their favorite boy band. He felt ridiculous, but there was no other way to put what he had felt. 

It felt unreal to have Keith appear in such a video and to fathom that the person singing was reserving the lyrics for just him. Lance felt unworthy, but through the screen he could see that every word that passed through Keith’s lips were meant just for him. 

As the video ended, Lance immediate dialed Keith’s number. 

“So?” asked Keith as he picked up the phone. 

“You are not that sexy man on the video! That is not someone I am worthy of calling my boyfriend.” 

“You’re being weird again.” 

“Keith! You guys look amazing, but did you have to make bedrooms at the camera.” 

“I was making bedroom eyes. Well, I was thinking of you.” 

“Stop it! You’re making me  _ feel  _ things.” 

“Yeah? What kind of things?” 

“Don’t do that… don’t make me say things like that! Aren’t you with others?” 

“Nope. I’m alone in my bedroom.” 

“What?!” Lance turned over his phone and clicked the screen. It hung up on Keith and then called him right back on video chat, “why didn’t you tell me?” 

Keith chuckled. His head planted on a pillow as the light from the screen shined on his face, “I wanted you to watch the video first. We filmed it last week. Looks good, right?” 

“Yeah it does! Seriously, babe, you guys look amazing. And you look unreal.” 

“Stop,” Keith didn’t bother to hide his blush. 

“How have things been going? Natalie tells me you guys are working really hard but are a little difficult to manage.”

“To be fair, we were never easy to manage. We managed ourselves, but your sister is even tougher to handle than you. Pidge says she’s learning new tricks from her, which is scary. How’s Hunk?” 

“Awesome. He left an hour ago after giving me some stuff to review. We went to the mall today to just hang and he started talking to some girl. Wingmanned for him and got him her number.” Lance gave a devilish smile. 

“Well, you are the ultimate wingman after all. You did me a really good hook up.” 

“I think you did a pretty great job too.” 

They laughed and laid on their own bedrooms, in the own houses, quiet and staring at each other. “We’re picking out our outfits next week. I’m going with my classic fingerless gloves look.” 

“Yeah, I saw that in the video. Were you known for that?” 

“Never did a show without them, but I’m getting a new pair.” 

“Yeah,” Lance bit his lip, “get two.” 

Keith raised an eyebrow, “Why two?”

“For - um - personal reasons,” Lance’s blush intensified. 

Keith’s eyes widened, “Are - are you serious? That’s a thing?” 

“Shut up! They look really good on you!” 

Keith nervously giggled, “Yeah, okay… I’ll get two.” 

Neither of them could look at the other’s eyes for a moment. Keith tried to break the tension and the longing both had to be next to each other, “I’m excited to come visit.” 

“Yeah. I want to show you the whole farm.” 

“You know, you still don’t seem like a farm boy to me.” 

“Just wait until you see me in my overalls and straw hat.” 

“Are you serious?” 

Lance laughed, “No. But, I am going to give you and the guys a tour of my little town on some off roaders.” 

“What?! That’s awesome! I’ll have to tell them later!” 

The two ended up talking for hours, losing complete track of time until Keith realized it was past one in the morning. He yawned and shifted himself on the bed, still holding the phone. “Sleeping sucks without you.” 

“Yeah. It’s colder.” 

“The next semester will start soon and then we can go back to how it was.” 

“I’m excited.”

“Lance… I’ve been thinking a lot lately…” 

“About what?” 

“About us and where this is going.”

“Yeah?” Lance’s heart started to race. He didn’t know why it kept beating so fast. Millions of little worries overtook his thoughts, even though none of it made any sense.

“I just - I don’t think this can get any better.” 

“Wh - what does that mean?” 

“That this is it. You are it. No one will ever be better than you and that thought alone just makes me…” 

Lance bit his lips. Pure nerves coursing through him as he lost a second of breath. 

“It makes me so happy.” 

Lance breathed out again, hating himself for thinking any negative thoughts. He gleamed, shining brighter than the cell phone screen, “God I wish I could kiss you right now.” 

Keith chuckled, “Same. We should go to sleep.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Stay on?” 

Lance grinned and prompt his phone on his nightstand, leaving the camera visable to be seen within it, “For sure.” 

Keith did the same with his phone and both boys fell asleep beside each other as if the miles were not keeping them apart.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want these boys in the same bed too! But it will all be right again soon! Next chapter is the concert and only 2 more from the end! Guys this is crazy! I can't believe it ending!
> 
> Thank you all for your wonderful comments and kudos. They allow brighten up my week. <3 I'm so happy this is making you all happy <3
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)  
> [ReynaSkyrunner](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ReynaSkyrunner/pseuds/ReynaSkyrunner) \- [Chapter 3](https://i.quotev.com/img/q/u/17/4/12/5uolsvk7pj.jpg) (SQUEE, THANK YOU! This is the first time anyone has draw fanart that I didn’t commission.)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Saturday!
> 
> \- Luna


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay. Here we are... concert time. 
> 
> Make sure to read the end notes for the update on the final chapter of Wingman (Its coming sooner than expected)
> 
> So... remember how near the beginning I mentioned that Keith had a Franz Ferdinand poster in his room AND later on you learn that Lance's middle name is Michael... hehe... You'll need this: 
> 
> "Michael" by Franz Ferdinand [x](https://youtu.be/P1pr766w-Q4)
> 
> ALSO, my wonderful beta [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/) helped me create the playlist that is The Fosters' concert. So here it is. :)
> 
> Playlist: The Fosters [x](https://open.spotify.com/user/1133539213/playlist/0wsH8m1Q3sdRaajc31xcTB)
> 
> Please enjoy the music and the chapter. ONE MORE CHAPTER GUYS!

Melly and Martha were kept busy in the kitchen, cooking various different meals as Natalie and Markus started seasoning the meat. Lance swept the floor as Ricardo and Armando dusted every corner. 

When the doorbell rang, Henry went to go answer it, wiping his hands of the oil from checking the off road vehicles with Hunk. As his hand reached the knob, he heard yelling coming from the behind.

“I got it! I got it!” With an accidental shove, Lance pushed his father away and swung the door open.

“Hey, cub… arg!” shouted Keith and was shut up by Lance’s lips.

Everyone waiting at the doorway watched snickering and awkward.

“Can we come inside?” asked Shiro.

Lance opened his eyes and pulled away with a cough. “Hehe, sorry, come on in. Welcome to the McClain farm.” 

Henry held the door open, greeting each of them and showing them to the kitchen to see everyone else. Allura and Natalie ran to each other, hugging tightly and bouncing around in a circle. Matt Holt and Shiro went over to Markus and started talking about the large piece of meat and volunteered assisting while Pidge and Barry ended up heading to Ricardo and Armando to start up the WiiU and play some games.

Midori immediately rolled up her sleeves and insisted helping Martha and Melly in the kitchen as Henry showed Kenji to the garage to show off the vehicles. Garth and Matt ran after, wanting to see the off road vehicles and prepare for the tour.

In the meantime, Lance and Keith hadn't noticed everyone naturally take their place. They were too lost holding each other's hands and staring into each other’s eyes. It had only been two weeks, but the two weeks felt like an eternity.

“Are you guys just going to stand there looking at each other all day or are you going to do something?” asked Allura as she giggled with Natalie.

“Shut up!” screamed Lance.

“Go on! Show him around and then come back and help,” said Natalie shooing them away.

Lance took Keith to the back of the house and started giving him the tour of the home. It was larger than Keith expected, surprised that each sibling was able to have their own room. When Lance showed him the backyard, Keith lost it to the mass distance of orange trees going out for miles. 

“It's so big,” commented Keith.

“I told you my dad owned the farm.”

“But I didn't think it was this big! No wonder he needs your help.”

Lance laughed, “Come on. I wanna show you my room.” Lance took him over to a hallway and entered the last room to the left. Keith immediately knew it was Lance’s room with the bright blue painted door and blue lion symbol on a sign. Walking in, he saw several posters of different movies and pop stars, a small bed, and a vanity mirror on a large computer desk with a office chair. 

“Is that? Is that me?” asked Keith as he walked over to the mirror and realized Lance had printed some of their pictures and framed the mirror with them.

“Duh! Why wouldn't I want to look at pics of us.” Lance stopped beside Keith and leaned on the table.

“Well, I just feel horrible for not having done the same.”

Lance laced his fingers into Keith’s hair and pulled him closer, “We’ll fill our apartment with picture when we get back. Fair?”

“Completely.” Keith leaned in and started to kiss him. Lance moved his hands from the table and wrapped them around Keith’s hips, locking him in his arms. 

They didn't need to talk. They had talked enough over the weeks, now they wanted to just hold each other and savor every drop of their presences. 

Keith rolled his fist into Lance’s shirt and tugged him back on his feet and dragged him to the bed, never breaking the kiss. Lance laid on his back, tangling his fingers in Keith’s hair and the fabric of his shirt. 

Keith moved his hands along Lance’s body, gripping every so often and rolling his hips against him. With a heaving breath, Lance leaned his head back as Keith started to kiss down his neck and nibble him. 

“Keith,” he moaned, “oh - I missed you.”

Keith bit lightly on his collarbone, “I missed you more.”

Lance rolled his body upward, craving for more, but knowing it would be impossible with so many people in the house - at least not now - perhaps tonight once everyone was asleep. 

Keith trailed his hands down Lance’s chest underneath his shirt but stopped right at the pantline. He sighed and placed his forehead onto Lance’s shoulder. “We can't keep going. We have to stop.”

“Yeah…”

Keith moved his hand around Lance and held him close, “Maybe we should go back.”

“I think we can steal five more minutes.” Lance pulled him closer and enjoyed their moment of silence in each other's arms. 

With a shout from the living room, Keith and Lance bolted up. They knew that yell, grinning as they decided to finally walk back to the gathering. They found Pidge jumping in front of the tv, pointing at Armando, Ricardo, and Barry, as she shouted in her victory. 

Keith grumbled at the look on Barry’s face. He began to storm over, but Lance yanked him back, “Are you seriously not going to let him flirt with her?” 

“There is no way…”

“Are you saying that Barry is a bad guy or are you being overprotective of Pidge?”

“Second option,” he grumbled.

“Babe, let them flirt. You're acting as if Pidge is a young teen. The girl is nineteen and Barry is twenty-two. Just let them be and see if it blossoms.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“I refuse.”

“You're being foolish.”

“I acknowledge your comment and wear that badge with pride.”

Lance rolled his eyes and kissed Keith on the cheek, “Let’s go see if the vehicles are ready.” He guided Keith towards the garage where his father and Hunk were finishing up explaining how the off road vehicles worked to Garth, Matt, and Kenji.

Keith’s eyes lit up the moment he saw the off roaders. He wanted to hop on and get going right that second. 

“How are they looking,  _ Papí?”  _ asked Lance.

“They should be good to go. We have ten. The other five are in the second garage but those have been good for a while. Want to do some training before you take them out?”

“For sure. Hunk?”

“Let’s do this, man!” Hunk smiled as he wiped his hand with a rag.

Lance went to grab Pidge and Barry as Hunk started getting everyone settled on a vehicle. When Pidge arrived, she immediately jumped into one. “How do I look?”

“Tinier than you already are,” laughed Keith.

“I think you look cute,” replied Barry with a smile.

Pidge blinked several times and turned away to hide a small blush. 

“Come on, I'll take you guys to grab the others. Hunk, meet us in the front lot.”

“Got ya!”

Lance took some of the group to grab the other vehicles. With a few instructions, they all took off to meet with the group. They looked like a weird gang of on land pirates. Wanting to be safe, Lance and Hunk did some lessons within his property first. Making sure everyone knew how to handle themselves, they all eventually got the hang of it; their smiles permanently on their faces.

“Alright,” said Lance as he mounted his rider, “follow us.”

Lance and Hunk took them off the property. They journeyed all around Arcadia, reaching the different orange groves and farms. The fresh scent of sweet and sour oranges surrounded them. It invigorated them to speed through the streets, a sense of freedom and joy that could only come from feeling completely in control. Lance turned to watch Keith. His hair flapped against the wind caused Lance to smile from the attractiveness of him and the thrills of the adventure.

Turning around, they kept driving into a large path. It was the usual place Lance, Hunk, and his siblings would enjoy some mud, dirt, and bumpy roads. Pidge yelled at the first big bump, but a loud and excited cry came afterward.

They laughed as Lance and Hunk started to take the road with more risk. Barry took the cue and revved up the rider and took a leap after a small bump. He splashed into the mud and laughed as his body got covered in it. Wanting in on the fun, Pidge did the same. 

Her only regret was forgetting she wore glasses.

She stopped beside Barry and giggled. Reaching over, he took the glasses from her face and started to cleaned them with his undershirt as best he could.

When he put them back on her face, she smiled with a blush apparent even though the mud covering her.

In response, Keith slide his rider to splash mud all over Barry. He laughed, taking off to follow Lance. The other Fosters passed Barry, laughing and know exactly what Keith had done. The teasing games over the past few weeks had been one of the highlights of their reunion.

Once Keith caught up to Lance, he gave him a crooked smile and an non verbal challenge. Lance knew he wanted to race and took off without another warning. The two maneuvered through the roads, taking their own path, but never losing sight of the other. 

Keith revved the rider, trying to pass Lance, but Lance’s knowledge of the road worked to his benefit. Reaching the end, they both pushed their riders to their maximum effort and reached it at the same time.

They laughed, stopping and looking at the mud covered bodies and vehicles. Lance leaned over his rider to give Keith a dirty kiss. “Having fun?”

“Hell ya!” They kissed again and waited for the others to catch up. 

Hunk arrived, “It's getting late. Time to head back. We doing the bonfire?” 

“Yeah! Miguel and Markus are taking care of it. Let's head back and get cleaned up.”

They all turned around and followed Hunk back home. Natalie waved at them from the back of the property as they drove by. Miguel, Trish,and Ginny greeted them with a shout, having just arrived. Lance helped them park the riders before walking towards Natalie to give her a big muddy hug. She ran off, shouting at him to stop before he laughed and instead entered the house from a backdoor. 

They all took their turned using the shower and getting spare clothes to change into. With shifty eyes, Lance looked around to see if anyone would notice him yank Keith into the shower with him. As the door shut behind them, Lance giggled for seemingly getting away with it.

“We’re supposed to be getting clean,” said Keith as he pulled Lance closer by his shirt, “not dirtier.”

“Well, it's a different kind of dirty,” he laughed as they kissed and began to remove each other’s clothing. 

Hopping into the shower, they had to remember not to take too long or it would get suspicious, but the two enjoyed the warm water against their skin as they embraced, kissed, and eventually stroked each other in bliss. 

When they finished, Lance took the towel and started drying Keith’s hair. Laughing, the two smiled in pure joy being this comfortable again after so long. 

Stepping out, Pidge held a towel in her arms and shook her head at the two, “Taking long enough?”

“Shut up Pidge,” laughed Lance.

“Come on, Barry! Shower time!” shouted Pidge.

Keith winced, “What?!”

Barry peeked his head from the corner, already completely clean, “Excuse me?!”

Pidge laughed, “Just teasing Keith. Now move!” She shoved passed them and went into the bathroom. Through the door, she shouted, “My revenge for that video is sweet!”

Keith finally realized what her little genius brain was up to.

“Why does she have to tease me in the process?” asked Barry.

Keith patted him on the shoulder, “I warned you. She's evil.”

They laughed and went back to the kitchen. Lance was quickly pulled in by Melly and Midori to assist with the meal. Keith was ordered to set the outside table with Miguel, Ricardo and Armando. After an hour, their meal was place on a long table, ready to enjoy both the food and the company.

“To Natalie and Markus,” Henry raised a glass, “best of luck in New York. We can't wait to see you on Broadway.”

They cheered, tapping their glasses. Natalie then spoke, “And to the Foster. Break a leg! All your hard work is going to make for one incredible show.”

They cheered once again.

The food was an authentic Cuban meal, complete with mojo seasoned lechón, white rice and black beans, Cuban bread, plantains, and a tomato salad with a light vinaigrette. The moment Keith bit into the pork, his mouth felt as if it was in heaven. He leaned and whispered into Lance’s ear, “Now I know why you taste so good. You were raised on this!”

Lance laughed with a blush, “Everyday. Good meals, like this.”

“Oh man. Please tell me you can cook like this.”

“Sorry. Not all of it. But I can start learning.”

“I'll learn with you.” Keith took another bite, “oh god, so good!”

Keith and Lance enjoyed their meal with their friends and family. Midori and Kenji were lost in conversation with Melly, Henry, and Martha. The Fosters kept joking around with Ricardo, Armando, Pidge and Hunk while Trish, Allura and Natalie teased their men over different subjects of comparing the three happy couples causing Matt to laugh at Shiro.

They all were smiling. They were all enjoying each other's company. They were family.

Afterward, everyone helped cleaning the table, dishes, and kitchen. Half way through, Melly cranked up the radio and played Latino music. Lance immediately started dancing as he wiped the table.

He couldn't help it - especially as Keith’s eyes wander to his hips.

Garth elbowed Keith, knowing exactly what thoughts were running through his mind. Keith shoved him away as Lance grabbed Midori’s hand and started twirling her around. She laughed loudly, enjoying Lance keeping his promise of showing her how to dance. 

Without hesitation, the McClain family grabbed a partner and started dancing wherever they were. Natalie took care of Matt Holt and Shiro while Markus took Allura. Hunk showed The Fosters a little on how to move while Armando kept correcting him. Miguel, Trish, and Ginny grabbed Henry and Kenji to dance in a small group. Ricardo spun Pidge around as Melly took Keith.

You never deny Melly a dance when she asks.

The laughed, moving and shaking around the house, carefree and joyful. With a wink from Melly, she twirled Keith away from her and he landed in Lance’s arms, “I knew you would fall for me.”

Keith laughed, “Every time.” They kissed before continuing to dance until it was time to enjoy the bonfire.

Shiro helped Marku and Miguel start the flame. The parents allowed the younger ones to be alone as they stayed in the living room to keep talking.

Keith held Lance in his arms as they enjoyed the stars and the fire. The couples leaned against each other and loved the warmth of their partner’s company. 

From the corner of their eye, they watched as Pidge stepped away from the fire, towards the trees to get a better view of the sky.

“You okay?” asked Barry as he slowly approached her.

“Yeah. I just never get to see the stars so clear. It's really cool.”

“It is.”

He stood beside her, a safe distance in Keith’s eyes, but Lance made sure to not let Keith disrupt them. “Let her make the decision. He’s been nothing but respectful.”

“I know,” Keith sighed, “I'm just being overprotective.”

“Yeah. I oddly find that adorable about you.” They giggled and gave a quick kiss.

Then, Pidge reached her hand over to Barry and tangled her fingers with his. He was shocked and couldn't remove his eyes from her. Unlike him, she couldn't look to him, turning her head and blushing as she squeezed his hand. He took a step closer and kept silent as they enjoyed the stars, together.

“See? Innocent,” said Lance.

Keith noticed Pidge’s unusual bashful behavior and knew that maybe she was actually interested in him and finally allowed himself to relax, “Fine. But if he does anything…”

“Pidge would handle it.”

“That's true.”

They all relaxed near the fire and under the stars. Nothing in the world would ever be so peaceful and still.

<\\\>

_ Keith: are they chanting?! _

_ Lance: YES!  _

_ Lance: BABE THIS PLACE IS PACKED! _

_ Keith: Omg! I'm so nervous. _

_ Lance: YOU GOT THIS! _

_ Lance: Everyone has faith in you guys. _

_ Lance: Come on, Levy is like shouting on the phone to Garth telling him to calm down. _

_ Keith: I'm just nervous. _

_ Lance: I know. _

_ Keith: You can't come back here? _

_ Lance: No! I want to be like one of your fans. I want the element of surprise. _

_ Keith: Lol. I understand. _

_ Keith: … _

_ Keith: Thanks again for this. I'm so excited to get this chance again. _

_ Lance: Anything for you, Mothy. _

_ Lance: I love you. _

_ Keith: I love you more. _

_ Lance: Impossible. _

_ Keith: Just you watch. _

_ Keith: This show is for you.  _

_ Lance: MOTHY!!!! _

_ Keith: You mean everything to me. None of this would have been possible without you. I honestly don't know how I can ever repay for this. _

_ Lance: Just keep loving me. That's all I want. _

_ Keith: I can never not love you. _

_ Lance: Break a leg! I'm so excited. _

_ Keith: For you… this is all for you. _

_ <\\\> _

Lance had not told a lie. The club was jam packed with people. Hunk kept selling shirts and other merchandise at a fast rate. Pidge was working hard at assisting will the donors ticket vouchers and ticket sales. Natalie was backstage assisting the band.

All while Lance and Levy waited on the second floor, holding each other nervously for their men to hit the stage.

“You guys don't need to be that way,” said Shiro, sporting a matching Foster's t-shirt with Matt, “they are awesome!”

Levy’s engagement ring sparkles with the lights of the club. Her long brown hair was braided back which glistened against her brown skin and bright blue eyes, “I've never seen him perform on stage before! Garth is freaking out!”

“They’ll be fine,” said Matt, his hair spiked differently than before, much to Pidge’s humor.

“I hope so!” yelled Lance. He took Levy’s hand and dragged her to the bar to grab some drinks.

Allura waved from the first floor as she held up some cash to buy herself a t-shirt from Hunk. The buzz of the club was intoxicating causing Lance to only shake with nerves even more.

After a drink and some patience, Pidge and Hunk were released of their duties by members of  _ Orange Ditch.  _ They stepped into the VIP section of the club where the remainder of the group hung out. 

Markus leaned over the railing beside Ricardo, giggling as he texted Natalie. “It seems Keith is bouncing around with his guitar backstage.”

“He does that to shake off his nerves,” said Midori. She was proud of her son and happy that her and Kenji were able to come for the show. They sat beside Melly and Henry who were thrilled to leave their farm for a night in Orlando. “He always used to do that before he committed a crime.”

“Mom!” yelled Shiro, pointing at Lance’s parents.

“Oh please! We already know. Lance rattles on about Keith, so he keeps forgetting to not tell us things,” said Melly.

“The curse of being in such a tight family,” added Ricardo, “we sometimes forget what is and isn't a secret around each other.”

“Guys! They are about to hit the stage!” yelled Lance, “Keith says five more minutes!” Lance, Hunk, Pidge, Matt, Shiro, Allura, Levy, Ricardo, and Markus ran to the railing, wanting to get the best view they could. 

The lights dimmed in the club and the crowd went wild.

“Two thousand eight hundred and seventy-three… that's how many people are here,” said Pidge.

“Holy fuck!” replied Lance and Levy. They looked to each other surprised and proud.

The crowd started to chant the band's name. The anticipation growing with each passing second. Lance could feel his heart beat faster and faster, only imagining how Keith must feel. 

This was it - the one thing Keith ever wanted.

The club went dark and out walked the owner of  _ Orange Ditch _ . “Hello everyone! Thank you all for coming! On behalf of  _ Orange Ditch _ , The Foster and the four members of their Kickstarter, we want to welcome you and thank you for making this show a reality! We are still selling tickets to the crowd outside, but we can't hold the band back much longer. Are you guys ready!”

The crowd shouted. Lance and Levy jumping where they stood with Pidge hollering along.

“Ladies and gentlemen…” They heard a female voice.

Natalie. 

Lance could tell it was Natalie singing slightly in the background behind the owner.

“The Fosters!” 

A guitar boomed through the speakers and then a voice - Keith. His voice vibrating into Lance’s ears, only craving for him to see his man on the stage, but it stayed black as he sang the first verse of the song.

_ “Some legends are told/Some turn to dust or to gold/But you will remember me/Remember me, for centuries/Just one mistake/Is all it will take/We'll go down in history/Remember me for centuries…” _

The stage lit up like fire, bright and hot. There he stood, holding his guitar, playing every note as his lips grazed the mic. He sang, passion and fury in every passing word that escaped his lips.

Keith was a rock star and Lance was his number one fan.

“Oh my god!” yelled Levy, “Garth looks so hot!” 

Lance could not deny the truth. All four boys looked otherworldly. How could they be the same four boys that joked in his home only a week ago. It didn't make sense.

Even Pidge couldn't look away, gripping Hunk’s sleeve from the sight of Barry banging at the drums making the muscles on his bare arms pulsate with each strike. She bit her bottom lip and watching in complete mental chaos.

Markus smiled as he saw Natalie with a friend of hers in the back providing backup vocals. They were styled in leather skirts, fishnet stockings, and wild hair. He loved seeing her on stage, excited to present her little summer project.

Keith lost himself to the music. The energy and power of the crowd brought back feelings once lost to his memories. This was the most euphoric feeling, holding every single person on stage with the power of his music.

He kept singing. His hair flipping along as his would move his body to the rhythm of his playing. He could never completely explain to someone how it felt, but when he looked back at his three best friends, he knew that they all felt the same.

Sweat dripping through his hair, they ended their first song. “Thank you all! We are The Fosters and we want to thank you all for being here and donating all that money to get us here.” The crowd cheered, “tonight we got a special show for you all. A love letter for everything you have done and everything you have given us. So let's keeping going!” They started the next song and blew the crowd away.

Lance couldn't remove his eyes from Keith. The sultriness of his voice, it called to him like a siren, begging him to walk over and fall for his trap. Lance moved to the music; his body at rhythm to the song and the rift of Keith and Garth’s guitars and the beat and melody of Matt and Barry. 

They were perfectly in sync song after song.

Like a steady flowing river, without a hiccup, Keith stepped away from the mic after several songs and moved to the side of the stage. Garth took center stage and Shiro and Matt lost it.

“Got to go!” shouted Shiro as he kissed Allura. Him and Matt high fived before running down the stairs. 

They watched as the main floor separates and only those ready to mosh stayed in the center. With the first beat, a harder guitar played out of Keith and Garth’s grungy and rough voice boomed through the speakers. 

“Damn. I know they said they liked metal,” commented Lance.

“Those two?” asked Pidge, “oh hell yeah! My brother used to come home all banged up after a night of concerts with Shiro. That's how they bonded. I know, it's unexpected, but true.”

They turned to Levy, who had the same dazed look in her eyes as Lance had looking at Keith as she watched Garth take the lead. 

For several songs, they played hard metal music, surprising Lance at Keith’s intense guitar playing. No longer singing, Keith jammed out furiously on the stage. The fingerless gloves seemed to mesmerize Lance as he glided them across the strings with his bare arms playing. The look of Keith drove Lance mad - a denim black vest and sleeveless red shirt. A set of skin tight black jeans with knee high tied up boots. Around his waist he had a string of chains and, finally, the leather fingerless gloves that seems to complete the look.

Maddening - it was all Lance could feel.

Eventually, Keith and Garth switched back. They began to play some of the songs from high school, really bringing the crowd to their feet. Matt and Shiro arrived back to the second floor showing their  _ battle scars _ with wide and bright smiles.

To finish off the show, Keith played his parents their favorite song, “Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi and several other classics in dedication to different important people to the band.

Lance wondered which one would be for him. Once they started to play “Lovesong” by the Cure he figured that was it. 

“That's not it,” devilishly smiled Markus, “I know which one it is.”

“What?” replied Lance.

“You're wondering which one is dedicated for you, right? They haven't played it yet.” Markus moved away from Lance and took a sip of his drink, texting away to Natalie as she has stepped off the stage to finish managing the show.

They ended their concert with Fall Out Boys’ “My Song Knows What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up).” Markus motioned for Allura to take Lance down to the floor, knowing they would want to at least enjoy it once from the front of the crowd. She smiled, grabbing Lance by the forearm and not giving him an option.

Immediately when they hit the floor, many of them recognized Lance from the Facebook and the Kickstarter page images. They separated, allowing them to move past the crowd towards the front of the stage. They arrived, just in time for the final chorus and for Keith to finally spot his boyfriend in the crowd.

From that point until the end of the song, their eyes never wavered from each other’s gaze.

With the last wake of his voice, the Fosters ended their song and their concert. The crowd couldn't stop cheering, murmurs of praise filling the air. 

Lance smiled proudly, holding back tears and seeing - living - what he had done for Keith. This was his moment to shine, to live the passions of his youth and the love of his own talents.

Without much prompting, Markus started a chant, “Encore! Encore! Encore!” 

The floor shook as they stomped their feet and clapped their hands begging for one more song. It took several minutes, but eventually they all walked back. 

Keith spoke, “Thank you all so much! We are glad you enjoyed the songs and we are happy to give you all one more. Now this show and the reunion with my brothers would have never been possible if some crazy boy didn't decided to take a chance and seek your assistance. So, this last song is dedicated to him. Michael…” Keith snickered. It only took a short second, but his crooked smile and wicked face gave away his playfulness, “this song is for you.”

“Michael?” asked Pidge to Hunk from the second floor, “who the hell is Michael?”

Hunk laughed just as The Fosters began to play their encore, “That's Lance’s middle name.”

The moment she heard the beat of the song and the cords of the guitar, she knew exactly what Keith had done - that little genius.

Lance stood, frozen, warm hearted, and lost in the song - “Michael” by Franz Ferdinand.

_ “This is where I'll be/So heavenly/So come and dance with me Michael/So sexy, I'm sexy/Come and dance with me Michael/I'm all that you see, you want to see/Come and dance with me Michael/So close now so close now/Come and dance with me/Come and dance with me _ _  
_ _ So come and dance with me…” _

Keith stared at Lance - never wanting to break their eye contact. Everyone could see where his eyes lied. They knew who Michael was, there was not a single doubt. 

These two boys were in love and they were the true masters of the room.

_ “Michael you're the boy with all the leather hips/Sticky hair, sticky hips, stubble on my sticky lips/Michael you're the only one I'd ever want/Beautiful boys on a beautiful dance-floor/Michael you're dancing like a beautiful dance-whore/Michael waiting on a silver platter now/And nothing matters now…” _

Midori held on to Kenji’s hand, leaned her head on Shiro’s shoulder. They were proud of their son and brother. This was all they ever wanted for him - love, self, and pride.

This was the Keith they always knew and the Keith they knew him to be. More so, he was happy and in turn, they were all happy to be his family.

_ “This is what I am, I am a man/Come and dance with me Michael/So strong now, it's strong now/Come and dance with me Michael/I'm all that you'll be, you'll ever see/So come and dance with me, Michael/So close now./You're close now./Come and dance with me./Come and dance with me…” _

Lance wanted to cry. How could a song be them? How could this song exist and how could it be made so perfect by his boyfriend? 

To Keith's command, Lance danced. He could see that's all Keith wanted - he wanted to see Michael dance.

So he did, perfect and to the beat of the song. 

They finished the song, almost whispering the words directly to Lance. The crowd roared, chanting The Fosters as they took their bows, blowed some kisses, and hugged each other for the best show they ever performed.

When the lights returned, all Lance could hear was a hum and a vibrating sensation of ecstasy.

#

The family and friends waited outside the backstage door. They were a few minutes away from wrapping up their private question and answer session with the high donors. 

Natalie was the first to step out, signalling that they were done. One by one the members of the band stepped out.

Garth emerged from the back, holding onto his guitar case as he raced to Levy. He lifted her up into his arms and kissed her. He started tearing up, fulfilled with everything they had done.

“You were fantastic,” she whispered, “if Sam could see you, he would be proud.”

Garth laughed, “The little guy can watch a performance once he's older.”

Afterwards appeared Matt and Barry. Everyone cheers, congratulating them and giving them hugs. “I forgot how popular we become with the ladies after a show,” said Matt as he pulled out several phone numbers from his pocket.

Pidge crossed her arms and huffed, “I bet you got several numbers too?” she asked Barry.

“I was offered many, but I didn't take a single one.” He smiled flirtatiously at her. 

Overcome by the energy of the show, the clouded mind of excitement, and the odd rush of feelings, she leaped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for a kiss. He froze, shocked at her actions.

When she pulled away, most were giggling, but stepped away to give them a little privacy.

“Why am I going back to LA again?” he muttered.

“Cause you have to finish your internship,” she giggled.

“Right… that… arg… I'm gonna hate the next few months.”

She shook her head and looped her arm around his. 

Finally, Keith appeared. Everyone cheered, but he couldn't hear any of it. His eyes directly went to Lance, tunnel visioned and targeted. The guitar case in his hand ended up pushed against Shiro’s chest. He ran down the alley and scooped his hands underneath the nap of Lance’s neck. 

With a quick pull, they kissed - ever passionate. Ever lost in the throws of their love.

Everyone watched, knowing how much this meant for both of them. It may have been a reunion for The Fosters, but in the end it was truly a gift from two creatures that loved each other more than anything could measure.

As he released himself from Lance’s lips, he whispered something softly, only loud enough for Lance to hear it. Lance exhaled deeply in surprise, not knowing how to respond by the shocking words that Keith said. Elated yet overwhelmed by the question that escaped Keith’s lips. They stood their, eyes planted on each other as they held one another closely, waiting for a response to the question. Lance was stunned, no words coming out of his mouth as Keith’s words kept repeating in his mind. 

“Marry me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for all the amazing comments and kudos. Overwhelmed! That's the only way to detail how I feel. 
> 
>   **BIG NEWS!:**
> 
>  1) Last Chapter of "The Ultimate Wingman" will be released on Wednesday! (I am leaving for a trip that weekend and will be unable to update, so I decided to give you the final chapter early... cause you all are amazing!)  
> 2) That same day I will be releasing our new fic (I say our cause it will be written by both me and my co-author Vuples! This is exciting!) It's called "Lion's Chain" and you can find the preview here: [x](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/159885294405/announcement-coming-wednesday-april-26th)
> 
> I hope you all stick around for my next fic! (another slow burn but this one has way more feels!) Thank you all again for all your love! You guys mean everything to me!!!
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)  
> [ReynaSkyrunner](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ReynaSkyrunner/pseuds/ReynaSkyrunner) \- [Chapter 3](https://i.quotev.com/img/q/u/17/4/12/5uolsvk7pj.jpg) (SQUEE, THANK YOU! This is the first time anyone has draw fanart that I didn’t commission.)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@bookstvseriesandanimes](https://bookstvseriesandanimes.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> See you next Wednesday! FINAL CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *I'M CRYING*
> 
> \- Luna


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING - Fluffy Sex Scene: its sectioned off in a quote box if you wish to skip <3
> 
> I'm fucking crying
> 
> And for the last time... You will need this:  
> Spring Awakening - "The Song of Purple Summer" [(x)](https://youtu.be/Hl4ZsWVUCro)
> 
> -Luna

 

“Keith…” Lance whispered as he finally shook off his nerves, “what did you say?”

Keith grinned and placed his hand on Lance’s cheek. This time he spoke loud enough for everyone to hear - he had nothing to hide. “Marry me?” He stroked his hand down Lance’s cheek, “Will you marry me?”

“Oh my god!” shouted Pidge, gripping tightly to Barry’s arm.

“No… way!” replied Shiro in shock and Allura kept jumping in place tugging at his shirt in excitement.

“Keith… I…” trembled Lance.

Keith chuckled, “I don't mean now. Not even in the next year or two. I know we haven't been together long enough but after this; after everything we’ve been through, I can't imagine anyone in this world better for me and I hope you feel the same about me. I just want to know you will always be mine. I prefer to call you my fiancé than boyfriend and I can wait years if you need for me to call you my husband. I just want to know, you will always be mine. I want to know I will never lose you.”

Lance couldn't stop smiling. He beamed like a summer sunshine - glistening of purple from the falling rays against his skin. “You will never lose me but do you really mean all that?”

“Every word.”

“Then, yes… I mean, I'll take you on the offer to wait a few years, I’d like to finish college first, but absolutely. I want to marry you.”

With bright smiles, they kissed again and everyone cheered from shock and adoration.

Lance couldn't believe it. This was never an act that he expected Keith to do. He would be lying if he said he never thought of it, but in every scenario he played in his mind, he was the one to ask Keith to marry him.

This was more than he expected, but all that mattered was that it did.

“Come on you two!” shouted Hunk, “leave the kissing for later. Let’s go celebrate with some late night food.”

“To The Fosters and the newly engaged couple!” cheered Pidge.

They all agreed and happily started to leave the alley. With a slap to his arm, Midori moved her hand against Shiro, “See it's not so hard! Just do it already.”

Shiro rolled his eyes and held Allura close. “I'm going to get you for this later, Keith!”

Keith laughed and didn't care, “I mean it, you know. It's not a question like _one day we will be engaged._ I want to be engaged now.”

“I know,” smiled Lance, “I meant it when I said yes.”

Keith took Lance’s hand and kissed it, “Then let's go… fiancé.”

“Yeah,” Lance smiled, “let’s go.”

#

They returned to Shirogane family home late into the night. Martha had fallen asleep on the couch after caring for Sam and Armando for the night. Everyone found their place to sleep in the home, most in small beds inflated throughout the living room and hallways.

Lance and Keith went up stairs to Keith’s bedroom. Midori had wanted to protest, but she was to thrilled to care for the night.

Keith allowed Lance to walk in first. Locking the door behind him, he unlaced and kicked off his boots, immediately returning into Lance’s arms and dropping him on his back to the bed.

Lance giggled through the kiss. Gasping for a breath, he pushed Keith back only to part them for a moment, “Feisty?”

“Exhilarated.”

Lance tilted his head and moved his hands into Keith’s hair, twirling the strands into his fingers, “I still can't believe tonight.”

“What part?”

“All of it. Every last second from the crowd, to your performance, to that song, and to the proposal. You keep surprising me.”

“It's a hard task to keep up with you. But I enjoy every second of it.”

“I would hope so, since you just made this promise for us to stay together.” They laughed and kissed again. “It was wonderful to see you up there. I couldn't believe that was you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. You looked like someone who was untouchable.”

“But you're touching me now.”

“And I still can't believe it.”

“Then, how can I make you believe it?”

“Remind me how it feels to be touched by you.”

> Keith smiled wickedly and leaned down to kiss him again. His gloved hands rolled down the side of Lance’s body and immediately glided back up underneath his shirt.
> 
> Lance moaned as he felt Keith’s gloved hand trial his skin - he knew his odd desire would feel stupendous.
> 
> Keith leaned up, straddled on Lance, to remove his shirt and vest. Toss them across the room, he began to remove the gloves, but Lance stopped him. Grabbing a hold of Keith’s hand, he pulled it towards his mouth and sucked on his fingers.
> 
> Keith lost his mind by the plays of Lance’s tongue around each finger.
> 
> _These fingers are mine to savor, forever._
> 
> “Damn you,” he whimpered.
> 
> With a devilish grin, Lance sat up and allowed Keith to remove his shirt, but surprised Keith by grabbing him at the waist and flipping him over, “I'm taking care of you tonight.”
> 
> “But,” Keith moaned as Lance rolled his hips against him. The nuisance of still wearing their pants apparent, “you did so much for me…”
> 
> “Yeah, but you beat me with that proposal, so now I have to repay the gift.”
> 
> Lance kissed down Keith’s chest, taking the time to flick his tongue on Keith. Keith's hands gripped onto Lance’s shoulder, which only infuriated his passion more by the feel of his gloves.
> 
> _His touch excites me, brightening any darkness away to only allow the brightness of light through._
> 
> As he reach the pantline, Lance unbuttoned and yanked Keith free of all his clothing. Without further hesitation, he took all of Keith into his mouth and thrusting in and out. Keith cried out, having to take his hand to muffle the sound from everyone in the house. The intensity, the tightness, of Lance’s mouth was always a weakness of his. The way Lance knew how to use his tongue, licking and flicking at every vital point that increase the pleasure - Keith could feel it forever.
> 
> His body arched up as he naturally rolled his hips against Lance’s mouth, tangling his fingers into Lance’s hair. With a long lick upward, Lance removed himself and pulled Keith down to the edge of the bed.
> 
> _His firmness. His hold. Only he knows how to thrill - I only ever want him to thrill me._
> 
> “You know where it is,” huffed Keith, trying to relax from accidentally finishing to early.
> 
> Lance reached over to the nightstand and took out a small bottle of lube. Before he could open it, Keith was on his feet, standing behind him, reach around. In one move, he unbuttoned Lance out of his pants and pulled them off.
> 
> “Hey! I said…” but he couldn't finish speaking as Keith started to lightly tease his gloves against Lance.
> 
> Stiff against his touch, Lance’s body shivered. He couldn’t explain why he enjoyed the slight roughness of the gloves against him, but he was thrilled that Keith knew how to control the pressure from making it painful.
> 
> _His hands know me better than I know myself. His touch invigorates me, drives me to a place I never knew existed._
> 
> Lance trembled, but turned around right when Keith stopped. “You said you wanted the gloves.”
> 
> “Hmm… and I'm not regretting it.”
> 
> Keith trailed his hand down Lance’s chest before Lance turned him around and bend him over against the edge of the bed. He smeared the lube on his erect skin and then eased into Keith. Keith’s relaxed body accepted Lance with comfort and excitement.
> 
> With a single roll of his hips, Lance knew Keith was enjoying having him inside. He began to thrust, changing from fast to slow in order to keep himself from finishing too soon.
> 
> Playfully, Keith moaned out, “Who’s my number one fan?”
> 
> Lance laughed through the bliss and thrust vigorously into Keith, “I am.”
> 
> _It is your eyes - nothing speaks more to the truth than your eyes. The universe is captured in them, swirling of the Milky Way with all life living inside._
> 
> Wanting to see his partner’s face, Lance pulled out and moved over to sit against the headrest. Keith crawled over and eased himself back with Lance inside of him. Straddled and completely lost in the grip of Lance, he started to thrust against Lance with his hand around Lance’s neck.
> 
> “Oh god…” Lance cried, finding the synced rhythm they had with each other. He turned his head to the side, allowing Keith to place his fingers, once again, in Lance’s mouth.
> 
> “Oh… Lance,” he replied, moving faster as Lance hit his pleasure spot. Lance moved one hand to stroke Keith, feeling himself coming to an end.
> 
> Pulling him closer, Lance gripped onto Keith’s hips and held him down as he finished inside him. After shaking, he kept inside and finished off Keith with his hand. Keith shook, spine arching as he spilled all over Lance’s chest.
> 
> Both shaken and tired, they rolled to one side of the bed to catch their breath. Keith reached over some tissues and handed them over to Lance. Both of them cleaned up and then snuggled close into each other’s arms.

As they slowly drifted off to sleep, they muttered a simple conversation.

“I wonder sometimes, how this all actually happened?” said Keith.

“I asked you to wingman for me and I would help you find a social life and then we fucked up and went to completely different direction,” laughed Lance.

“Yeah. I know that, but really. In the grander scheme of things, it just seems so unreal that it all happened and so quickly.”

“I guess, but would you want to change any of it?”

“No way. Not a single second… okay, maybe one thing.”

“Oh yeah, what would that be?”

“I would have smacked myself and realized I never wanted to be your wingman. I only ever wanted you.”

“See. I still wouldn't have changed anything. I think we needed that time. Those confused moments of our own stupidity. If not… well, it just doesn't sound like us to be so open from the start. We are idiots in love, after all.”

Keith laughed and kissed Lance sweetly, “Always idiots.”

_I only ever want to be your idiot._

#

 _Facts about my_ ** _fiance_** _Keith Kogane:_

_1) I love him._

_2) He is a rock god!_

_3) He loves me._

_4) How that happened, still not completely sure._

_5) We are engaged._

_6) Shopping for rings was fun! They are both small silver rings._

_7) We already discussed that once we are married, these rings will become necklaces._

_8) Did I really say “once we are married?!”_

_9) That makes me giddy!_

_10) Shiro wants to punch Keith. Momma Midori wouldn't stop hassling Shiro about proposing to Allura. The phrase “Keith did it!” is repeated often._

_11) Keith laughs about it every time._

_12) Living together feels oddly exciting now that we are engaged._

_13) Really can't explain it._

_14) “I'm marrying you partly because the Lance Special is my drug and I can't live without it.” A real quote from future hubby._

_15) Arg! I said future hubby out loud and he didn't even flinch!_

_16) God I love this man!_

_17) Note to self: “Future hubby” turns him on. Use in public to tease him._

_18) Note to self: He figured out my game and used it against me. So it works both ways._

_19) He will randomly blurt out thoughts on things I never expect him to say, “What do you say our colors for the wedding are purple? Since we make purple.” Or “What do you think about taking each other’s names? Like, we hyphenate them but both of us are Kogane-McClain. Figured alpha order was best.”_

_20) He’s fucking adorable when he does this._

_21) I can't handle it._

_22) IT'S ALWAYS AT RANDOM MOMENTS!_

_23) okay… maybe we are too excited._

_24) We set a date._

_25) It's four years from now, but we set a date._

_26) Like can that summer arrive already?!_

_27) He's making my life impossible to keep living. Like I'm too happy and it feels unreal._

_28) Damn, I love him._

_ <\\\> _

_(Group Chat: Team Purple)_

_Keith: Rehearsal is at 2pm sharp._

_Pidge: Yes dictator. We will be there._

_Keith: shut up!_

_Keith: We?_

_Barry: Yeah, we._

_Keith: I thought you were in Orlando? When did you go to Tampa?_

_Barry: I try to go every weekend!_

_Pidge: At least he visits me. Unlike you fools who left me in Tampa by myself!_

_Hunk: Ahem?!_

_Pidge: I'm corrected. You left me and Hunk by ourselves!_

_Hunk: Better._

_Lance: We didn't need our Master’s degree, so why stay?!_

_Keith: Why are we having this conversation again?_

_Pidge: Fine! Moving forward. 2pm on Skype, right?!_

_Keith: Yes._

_Natalie: I have little Angela wanting to join in._

_Lance: TELL MY BEAUTIFUL NIECE THAT SHE CAN JOIN US ALL SHE WANTS!!!_

_Natalie: She burped really loud, so I'm going to say that she agrees._

_Allura: Let her know her best friend Niko will be online too!_

_Lance: TELL MY HANDSOME NEPHEW THAT HE IS WELCOMED AS WELL!_

_Shiro: Does Lance have baby fever?_

_Lance: No._

_Keith: YES!_

_Lance: No I don't._

_Keith: You gush anytime you see a baby and start going off in baby talk!_

_Lance: Babies are adorable!_

_Hunk: He wants a baby bad!_

_Lance: Shut up!_

_Garth: I can't completely blame him. Now that I have two, I must say it's wonderful being a parent of more than one kid._

_Matt: Well, some of us are just trying to find a girlfriend._

_Matt H: How is it that both Matts are still single?!_

_Pidge: It's a cursed name. Sorry! lol._

_Matt H: Shut up Kate!_

_Pidge: lol_

_Keith: You guys need better wingmen. Time to upgrade._

_Lance: Mine was awesome!_

_Matt: We are not making this joke for the thousandth time._

_Barry: lol, yes they are. It's their favorite joke._

_Hunk: Yep! They always say it._

_Shiro: I'm adding it to my speech._

_Pidge: That's like a requirement. lol._

_Allura: Okay, so it's almost 2pm, going to start logging in._

_Natalie: Have your music sheets ready! I hope everyone has been practicing!_

_Keith: alright! See you all there!_

_ <\\\> _

Keith took a deep breath. His hands hovered over the keys of the piano as he tried to remember everything they had practice. The hours of yelling to Pidge to figure out what the note sounded like to Lance’s laughter beside him as they argued.

All of those hours for this one moment.

He looked down to his fingers. The glistening onyx band place on his left ring finger shined of the small blue engravement around it, designed with red inner layer.

A smile crept his face as he took another breath. This was the moment he waited for - summer. A time of playfulness banter, good company, and painted with the colors of deep purple.

At least that's how he saw it whenever he looked around the room.

Everything and everyone was dressed in purple - the perfect mix of the two people that mattered at this moment.

Only him and Lance were dressed in a different color. Him in red and Lance in blue, but Lance’s ring appeared the opposite of Keith’s as he sat beside him on the piano bench. The onyx band was also placed on his left ring finger but the other engravement was in red while the inner layer was in blue.

Lance reached over his hand, signaling him to begin whenever he was ready. Keith took another deep breath and looked around the room once again. He carefully looked at those standing around the piano.

They were all their closest friends and family - all of Lance’s siblings and parents. Keith’s family including his sister-in-law and two year old niece. The Fosters and their best friends - all stood around ready to live this moment together as one.

The hundred and fifty guests in the large banquet hall overlooking the beach shores of Clearwater beach was hushed with anticipation. Everyone was smiling. Everyone was gleeful for the couple.

Everyone had waited four years for this moment.

Keith nodded his head to Natalie who signaled The Fosters to ready their instruments. With a press to the keys, Keith began the song - “The Song of Purple Summer.”

 

 _“And all shall fade_  
_The flowers of spring_  
_The world and all the sorrow_  
_At the heart of everything_  
_But still it stays_  
_The butterfly sings_  
_And opens purple summer_ _  
_ With the flutter of its wings…”

 

Keith sang each word with such passion - more passion than he had with any song he had ever sung before. Lance moved closer to him on the bench as he joined along - as all those surround the piano joined all.

 

 _“The earth will wave with corn_  
_The May flies rise then mourn_  
_And mares will neigh with_  
_Stallions that they mate, foals they've borne_ _  
_ And all shall know the wonder of purple summer…”

 

The banquet hall illuminated with brightly lit candles, presenting the night sky with their own controlled set of stars. It felt magical,mixing perfectly with the tone of the song and the gaze of pure love within Keith and Lance’s eyes.

The song moved into the next verse - stronger, commanding, and full of emotions that mixed of every moment they had shared over the years.

 

 _“And yet I wait_  
_The swallow brings_  
_A song too hard to follow_  
_That no one else can sing_  
  
_The fences sway_  
_The porches swing_  
_The clouds begin to thunder_  
_Crickets wander, murmuring_  
  
_The earth will wave with corn_  
_The gray-fly choir will mourn_  
_And mares will neigh with_  
_Stallions that they mate, foals they've borne_  
  
_And all shall know the wonder_  
_I will sing the song of purple summer_  
_All shall know the wonder_ _  
_ I will sing the song of purple summer…”

 

The song slowed down. Keith looked up from his sheet music and into the beautiful blue eyes that now belonged to him. Lance fell once again for the violet in Keith’s eyes - he would fall for them until time stopped him from seeing the world exist.

Lovingly and breathless, the two sang the last line together - as husbands.

 

“ _All shall know the wonder of purple summer.”_

 

The crowd cheered as Keith and Lance leaned to each other and kissed. People clinged their forks against their glasses, congratulating the happy couple and expressing their love for this moment.

The two stood in complete bliss and they held each other’s hands. Shiro announced that dinner would be served as they motioned for everyone to take their seats within the banquet hall.

“It wasn't as bad as you thought,” whispered Lance as they took their seats on the dining table.

“I was just nervous.”

“Why?”

“Cause I wanted it to be perfect. I want today to be perfect.”

“And has it not been.”

“Honestly,” Keith placed his hand on Lance’s cheek, “just getting to say _I do_ was all I needed for it to be perfect.”

“Stop being that way! I can't handle you like this.”

“Well, you're going to have to handle it from now on. There is no turning back.”

“Why would I want to turn back,” Lance kissed Keith sweetly, “I married the ultimate husband.”

They giggled and kissed again causing their guests to cheer once more.

The meal was everything they could ever want - traditional Cuban lechon with rice and beans, fresh steamed vegetables with some butter and bread. The appetizer, a small serving of miso soup and ginger dressing salad. It was a blend of the two of them, but like everything else they seemed to plan for the evening.

The banquet hall was walled with tall glass windows, allowing everyone to enjoy the view of the night time beach. A personal pick of the couple in memory of their time in Colombia. Playing in the background was a recording of Keith playing the piano of his favorite video games. Every so often he would hum along when a song from Destiny played and Lance would lean in and kiss his cheek, unable to resist his adorable nature.

Their clothing matched almost perfectly. Black vests with black thin ties and matching slacks. The only difference where their shirts and converse shoes. Both sported their favor color - Lance blue and Keith red - but it made the guests laugh as they realized why everything else was colored purple.

Contained in their own bubble of happiness, they didn’t realize the music had started for dancing. Lance was ripped from his chair by his sister and forced into the dance floor. The memory alone of the many times over the years this happened made Keith roll his eyes. This time; however, Keith was not going to be left alone. It was their wedding day and he was going to be with his husband.

He stood up and adjusted his sleeves. Off the corner of Lance’s eyes, he saw him approaching and smiled. He maneuvered Natalie away, just enough to slip into Keith’s arms.

“Hey… wait!” Much to Natalie and the other guests’ surprise, the two dance perfectly in sync.

It was still obvious that Lance was the better dancer, but Keith was no longer the clumsy two left footed boy. He was able to move his hips and follow Lance’s lead. The two had been practicing.

Song after song, they danced together and joined small groups to dance along with them. The music pumped through the banquet, begging everyone to be on their feet.

Everything felt perfect - the cake, the food, the music, the people, and, most importantly, the bond between the two grooms.

As the night reached the end with Pidge grabbing the garter and Barry grabbing the bouquet (a change of pace from the traditional), Lance and Keith took a moment to escape the party and walk the beach shore. They left their shoes on the porch and dug their toes into the sand.

“This is it then,” said Lance, “it’s all done.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s all done,” replied Keith.

“I meant the wedding, not our lives. We still have plenty of things to do.”

“Yeah, we do. I’m excited. This still isn’t the life I had planned.”

“To be honest, neither did I. Yeah, I’m bi, but for some reason I thought I would end up with a girl.” He reached his arms around Keith and pulled him closer, “I’m ecstatic I was wrong.”

“Yeah. Me too.” They kissed underneath the full moon with glistening stars throughout the black and purple sky.

Lance chuckled as he yanked Keith by the hand towards the water. As their bodies hit the cold fidget waves, they held each other closer and returned to kissing. They didn’t care about anything other than being in each other’s arms - including the shouting that was sure to come from both their mothers for getting completely wet.

It was there they both knew, reflecting on every single moment that got them there. To think it all started with an application for a spare apartment within Garrison University’s student apartments _The V._ Then, a chance Keith took - now knowing that change wasn't really all that bad.

Change could always bring new possibilities, but he had to be willing to let it happen and he was happy he finally pushed his fears away.

More so, the two giggled through their kiss. They knew the thought crossing through both their minds. They knew what was front and center in their heads.

Never would they regret the act of being each other’s wingman; it was the one risk they both would praise they took. The foolish notion of tricking their minds into thinking it was nothing more when it actually meant everything and beyond their scope of thoughts.

Every experience, memory, dream, chance, change, hope, desire, and risk they took led to them here, holding each other and becoming one. This was all worth the tears, the laughter, the pushing through the pain and finding their inner self. This was worth taking each other and trusting what they felt in their hearts and giving up on what they kept trying to fool themselves into believing.

This was how it was meant to be. Together - red and blue - blended to make purple. From hatred to friends to wingman with benefits to boyfriend then fiancés and now as husbands.

Their journey had only begun but they both knew, kissing underneath the eyes of the universe - they both knew - everything in life would be perfect as long as they had each other.

They would always be each other’s ultimate.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NEW FIC: [Lion Chain - KLance Veteran/Modern AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10733592/chapters/23788332)
> 
> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR EVERYTHING! I can't believe its over, but thank you all so much for all the comments and kudos. You guys made my week every week and I hope you keep following work. I have so many fics planned and I hope you guys come back for more! 
> 
> THANK YOU! Seriously. I can't say it enough. Happy KLancing! Love you all!!!! -Luna
> 
> Art Work:  
> [ranyani-arts](http://ranyani-arts.tumblr.com/post/157493884366/vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13-thank-you-ver) \- [Chapter 12](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/post/157494434990/ranyani-arts-vday-commission-for-paperrabbit13)  
> [ReynaSkyrunner](http://archiveofourown.org/users/ReynaSkyrunner/pseuds/ReynaSkyrunner) \- [Chapter 3](https://i.quotev.com/img/q/u/17/4/12/5uolsvk7pj.jpg) (SQUEE, THANK YOU! This is the first time anyone has draw fanart that I didn’t commission.)
> 
> Betas:  
> [@toomanyusersforagoodusername](http://toomanyusersforagoodusername.tumblr.com/)  
> [@karmadash-is-fandomtrash](http://karmadash-is-fandomtrash.tumblr.com/)  
> [@kharapaws](http://kharapaws.tumblr.com/)
> 
> My Tumblr: [@paperrabbit13](http://paperrabbit13.tumblr.com/)  
> My Twitter: [@paperrabbit13](https://twitter.com/paperrabbit13) (I place teasers of upcoming chapters and new work weekly.)  
> My Discord: @paperrabbit13 - #6209 (I love chatting. So feel free to contact me.) 
> 
> Check out my new fic!!! It's out NOW: [Lion Chain - KLance Veteran/Modern AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10733592/chapters/23788332)
> 
> \- Luna


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